Coimbatore: Researchers from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, organised a departmental meeting to discuss nematode management in crops. They have prepared maps for the occurrence and distribution of phytonematodes in major crops grown in Tamil Nadu and identified crop-wise, nematode hotspot areas and avoidable yield loss due to phytonematodes. They have also devised technologies for the management of economically important nematodes in major crops and designed integrated nematode management strategies for the major crops grown in Tamil Nadu.
The research has evolved suitable technologies for the management of nematode fungal disease complex of crops and devised a technology for the management of nematodes in crops grown under polyhouse conditions. The plant extract of mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) has proved to be effective for the management of nematodes as a botanical pesticide and the process of patenting the technology is under progress.
They have identified an indigenous species or isolates of fungal, bacterial and actinomycetes effective against phytonematodes. Technology for mass multiplication of indigenous fungal isolate of Entotochium arenarium effective against potato cyst nematode has been developed and the process of patenting the technology is under progress.
Attempts were made for the green synthesis of nano particles to use against nematodes, and this gave encouraging results. Generated information on relative susceptibility or resistance of germ plasm of various crops against different nematodes is under process, said Dr Kalaiarasan, scientist in the department of nematode.
