BARE ROOT DIP TREATMENT OF TOMATO SEEDLINGS IN CALOPTOPIS OR CASTOR LEAF EXTRACTS MIXED WITH PAECILOMYCES LILACINUS SPORES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF MELOIDOGYNE INCOGNITA

Experiments were conducted for the management of Meloidogyne incognita by a bare root dip treatment of tomato seedlings in plant leaf extracts mixed with Paecilomyces lilacinus spores. The bare root-dip treatment of tomato seedlings in castor leaf aqueous extract (5 or 10%) mixed with P. lilacinus spores significantly increased the plant growth parameters and reduced the root-knot index and nematode population in comparison to the calotropis leaf extract (5 or 10%) + P. lilacinus and P. lilacinus alone treatments. Castor leaf extract both at 5 and 10% significantly increased mycelial growth, sporulation and propagule density of P. lilacinus on roots resulting in increased colonisation of the bio-agent on the roots of tomato offering enhanced biological protection with the consequent effect of increased parasitization of eggs of M. incognita.