S. Baidya*, RD Timila*, Ram Bahadur KC**, HK Manandhar*, C Manandhar* and CK Timalsina***
*Plant Pathology Division, Khumaltar, Lalitpur
**Horticulture Research Station, Malepatan, Kaski
***Regional Agricultural Research Station, Lumle, Kaski
Abstract
Root knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) is difficult to manage once established in the field because of its wide host range and soil-borne nature. For the management of root knot nematode, grafted plant with resistant rootstock of wild brinjal (Solaum sisymbriifolium) was tested under farmers' field conditions at Hemja of Kaski district during 2008-10. Grafted and seedling planting (non-grafted) materials were grown in root-knot nematode free soil. Around three week-old grafted and non-grafted tomato plants were transplanted in four different plastic tunnels where the nematodes had been reported previously. The plants were planted in diagonal position to each other as a pair plot in 80 x 60 cm spacing in an average of 20 x 7 m plastic tunnels. Galling index was recorded three times in five randomly selected plants in each plot at 60 days intervals. The first observation was recorded two months after transplanting. Total fruit yield was recorded from the same plants.In the observation, the root system of grafted plants was totally free from gall whereas on an average of 7.5 galling index (G) in 0-10 scale was recorded in the seedlings. Fruits were harvested from time to time and cumulated after final harvest to calculate the total fruit yield. It was estimated that on an average tomato fruit yield was significantly increased by 37 percent in the grafted plants compared with the seedlings non-grafted plants. Grafting technology could be used effectively for cultivation of commonly grown varieties, which are susceptible to root-knot nematode in disease prone areas. This can be used as an alternative technology for reducing the use of hazardous pesticides for enhancing commercial organic tomato production.
Keywords: Grafting, root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.), tomato, wild brinjal (Solamum sisymbriifolium)