Rhizospheric biological weapons for growth enhancement and Meloidogyne incognita management in Withania somnifera cv. Poshita

Withania somnifera L. (Family Solanaceae) is an angiospermic medicinal herb, well recognized for the immense therapeutic potentials of its roots containing several withanolides. W. somnifera is also a susceptible host for southern root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita. The nematode infestation in roots causes serious crop losses in terms of yield and chemo-pharmaceutical quality of this medicinal herb. In the present study, influence of five rhizospheric microbes, namely Bacillus megaterium (ATCC No. 14581), Pseudomonas fluorescens (ATCC No. 13525), Trichoderma viride (MTCC No. 167), Paecilomyces lilacinus (PDBC PL55) and Glomus intraradices was studied for the management of M. incognita in W. somnifera cv. Poshita under greenhouse conditions. All rhizospheric microbes, except G. intraradices, displayed nematicidal potentials via ovicidal and larvicidal actions in vitro and, resulted in significant improvement in plant growth parameters. The rate of nematode damage to W. somnifera was directly proportional to M. incognita (number of J2) population. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.