Root - knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) amelioration in tomato under protected conditions through rootstocks
Vibhuti Sharma, Pardeep Kumar, Parveen Sharma, Pawan K Sharma, Amar Singh and ND Negi
Tomato yield and quality are considerably affected and diminished by root knot nematodes. The chemical measures and manipulations of agronomical practices are ineffective in controlling root knot nematodes and moreover, they have toxic effect and lead to escalation in production cost. Thus, grafting susceptible tomato scions on resistant rootstocks is one of the most appropriate approaches which provides resistance to soil-borne pathogens and improves yields and quality. In the present investigation, sixteen different rootstocks were screened for their resistance to Meloidogyne incognita. Out of total rootstocks, one rootstock of tomato ‘Green Gourd’ with RKI-1, one brinjal ‘ VI-034845’ with RKI-5 and ‘VI-047335’ were found moderately resistant with RKI-16, two chilli rootstocks ‘ PI-201232’ with RKI-2 and ‘AVPP0205’ with RKI-3 were found resistant to root knot nematodes. Rootstock Green Gourd and VI-34845 were found resistant for nematode incidence as well as for maximum yield per square metre.