Effect of soil solarization and organic amendments on root-knot nematode management in tomato nursery

Abstract

Afield experiment was conducted at farmers field during May 2009 in Salem district to study the effect of soil solarization with organic amendments as a method of root-knot nematode and weed management in tomato nursery bed. Solarization of nursery beds using 300-gauge transparent polyethylene sheets was carried out with various amendments to study the performance of tomato seedlings. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with 11 treatments replicated thrice. The treatments included, solarization for four weeks with four different amendments viz., vermicompost, poultry manure, Farm Yard Manure (FYM), neem cake and castor cake along with non-solarized control and solarization without amendment. In four treatments, Azospirillum was inoculated two days after the polythene sheet removal. The study was carried out during May, 2016. The results of the experiment revealed that solarization treatment with vermicompost followed by solarization with poultry manure and neem cake were found to be effective in increasing the soil temperature in all depths and on all days of observation. Similarly, the least values for root knot nematode population were recorded in the solarization treatment with neem cake. The performance of tomato seedlings was superior under solarization with vermicompost along with Azospirillum treatment followed by solarization with vermicompost alone. This was comparable with solarization with neem cake along with Azospirillum. Solarized seedlings with vermicompost and Azospirillum inoculation attained the transplanting stage 15 days earlier when compared to control.