EFFECT OF CASTOR (RICINUS-COMMUNIS) AND THE BIOCONTROL FUNGUS PAECILOMYCES-LILACINUS ON MELOIDOGYNE-JAVA']JAVANICA

An experiment to study the effect of castor leaves and Paecilomyces lilacinus alone and in combination on Meloidogyne Javanica infecting tomato revealed that the fungus cultured on gram seed (4 g/kg soil) or castor (40 g/kg soil) at the optimum fertilizer dose (N = 75, P = 25, and K = 37.5 kg/ha) alone reduced the nematode population i.e., gall index (G.I.), second-stage juveniles and eggs/egg mass and increased plant growth. However, the integration of these components in various treatments was better in reducing the nematode population and increasing plant growth and yield than when used alone. The best combination of these components with regard to reduction in G.I. (86%), second-stage juveniles (100%), eggs/egg mass (86%), egg destruction (87%) and egg mass infection (89 % ) was when castor and the fungus were added 15 days prior to transplanting and adding the optimum fertilizer dose (N = 75, P = 25 and K = 37.5 kg/ha). © 1990 BRILL.