Farmer Friendly IPM Module for Sustainble Production of Okra: A Success Story

In the present study an attempt has been made to manage the major soil borne maladies using farmer-friendly and safe practice as against the toxic and expensive chemical means still being used by majority of vegetable growers including okra of western U.P., India. Through extensive surveys around vegetable growers’ fields heavy infestation of root knot nematode and root rot fungus associated the root zone causing disease-complex was recorded on okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) resulting synergistic effects on the common host. The management of both the co-inhabitants has been carried out through integrated approach of neem oil seed cake, locally isolated most potent strains of fungal endophytes as core component viz., Trichoderma harzianum alongwith Neem seed kernel extract. In vitro studies with the core component i.e. fungal bioagent against both, pathogenic fungus and root knot nematode, clearly showed high degree of parasitism by T. harzianum against Rhizoctonia solani while against root knot nematode exhibited toxic and egg parasitic properties respectively. The results of in vivo or pot culture studies on okra Cv. Parbhani Kranti carried out through integrating all the above management components clearly showed significantly outstanding performance in respect to plant biomass and also reducing incidence of both root knot nematode and root rot fungus the earlier one predisposing the common hosts for the fungal attack as compared to the rest of treatments.