Abstract

Biological control of Pythium aphanidermatum (Edson) Fitz. Meloidogyne incognita (Chitwood. 1949) disease complex in chilli with organic amendments viz., Farm yard manure and neem cake were field evaluated. The antagonistic organisms used were Trichoderma viride, T. harzianum (antagonists against Pythium aphanidermatum) and Paecilomyces lilacinus (antagonist against Meloidogyne incognita). The incidence of damping-off of chilli was significantly reduced in all the treatments, when the seeds were treated with antagonistic organisms and the soil was amended with the organic amendments 15 days before sowing viz., Farm yard manure or neem cake at the rate of 20 t/ha. The dry shoot and root weights were increased in T. viride + neem cake treatment followed by T. viride + farm yard manure treatment and the root-knot index was verymuch reduced in P.lilacinus + neem cake treatment followed by T. viride + farm yard manure treatment and the root-knot index was very much reduced in P.lilacinus + neem cake treatment and in P. lilacinus + Farm yard manure treatment.

Keywords: Biological control, Pythium - Meloidogyne disease complex, Organic amendments.