A Technique for the Detection of Soil Infestation with Rice Root-Knot Nematode, Meloidogyne graminicola at Farmer s Field

A simple and applicable technique was developed for the detection of soil infestation with rice rootknot nematode, Meloidogyne graminicola by farmers themselves at their fields. The collected soil samples from root-knot nematode infested fields were diluted by adding sterilized sand in the ratio of 1: 1, 1: 3, 1: 7, 1: 15, 1: 31 and 1: 63 and sown with sprouted rice seeds (cv MUT 7029) for determining the infestation level of M. graminicola. Dilution of infested soil with sand in 1:1 ratio resulted heavy infection of M. graminicola and recorded maximum numbers of root galls while minimum root galls were achieved at using of 1: 63 ratio. The dilution of infested soil with sand in the ratio of 1:1 is applied to increase the responsiveness in case of heavy soils. This technique is oriented to detect only rice root-knot nematode, M. graminicola which produces characteristic ‘hook shaped’ galls and cannot be confused with galls of other Meloidogyne species. Hundreds of soil samples can be collected and examined through this technique in a very short time. In addition, the period of March and first week of April is considered as most ideal period for determining the status of M. graminicola in the soil under eastern Uttar Pradesh (India) conditions. Thus, a proper and effective management strategy can be planned earlier by the farmers, if status of rice root-knot nematode, M. graminicola is determined earlier.