In-vitro Study of Different Fungal Bio-agents against Root-knot Nematode, Meloidogyne incognita

To assess the antagonistic effect of fungal bio-control agents, such as Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride, Purpureocillium lilacinum, Metarhizium anisopliae, and Beauveria bassiana, on the hatching of egg masses of the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, investigations were conducted in vitro. In comparison to the control, bio-control agents were tested at 106 and 107 dilutions on M. incognita egg hatching after 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 hours of exposure. P. lilacinum 107 concentration and T. harzianum 106 concentration (83.90 % and 83.04 %) were found at par and significantly effective on egg hatching inhibition of M. incognita. Among different concentration, P. lilacinum at 106 concentration (85.46 %) gave maximum egg hatching inhibition followed by P. lilacinum at 107 concentration (83.90 %), T. harzianum at 106 concentration (83.04 %) and T. virideat 106 concentration (82.00 %) after 120 hrs. M. anisopliae at 107 concentration (69.46 %) was found least effective at different period of exposure. Further studies to be conducted in pot and field conditions to evaluate the efficacy of these bio-agents against root knot nematode, M. incognita.