Efficacy of some nematicides for the control of root-knot nematodes infesting mung

Abstract

Mung [Vigna radiata cv. au reus (L.) Wilczek] is an important pulse crop and is highly susceptible to the root-knot nematode, Melioidogyne incognita (Kofoid et White) Chitw. (Prasad et ai., 1969). Several nematicides have been used for the control of root-knot nematodes on this crop, but the results have not always been satisfactory (Sakhuja and Singh, 1980; Kaushik and Bajaj, 1981). Further trials on chemical control were carried out in Ludhiana, from 1980 to 1982. A block of plots, each measuring 4x3 m, was laid out in a field infested with M. incognita, with the site of block changed in each of the three years of the experiment. There were three replicates of each of the chemical tratments plus the untreated control. The nematicides were applied as granular formulations in the furrows, together with fertilizer (CAN) applied at the normal commercial rate. Mung cv. ML-5 was sown in June each year and the crop was harvested 3 months later. At harvest grain and straw yields were recorded; the root system of 10 plants selected at random from each treatment were examined and root galling visually estimated on a 0-4 scale. The results (Table I) show that aldicarb at 1.5 kg a.i./ha was the most effective treatment and increased the grain yield by 68% and straw yield 86%, compared with the untreated control.