Comparative efficacy of neem based nematicidal products for management of nematode pests of pulse crops

Seed treatments with neem-based laboratory formulations of neem seed kernel, neem seed coat (seed shell) and neem seed cake @ 20% w/w reduced root-knot and reniform (Meloidogyne incognita and Rotylenchulus reniformis) nematode multiplication in two important pulse crops, mungbean and chickpea in greenhouse trials. All these treatments reduced major phytonematode species in the field, viz., M. incognita, R. reniformis, Tylenchorhynchus mashoodi, Helicotylenchus indicus and Hoplolaimus indicus in both the crops in field trials in 4 sq. m. microplots. In either case, neem seed kernel was the most effective followed by neem. seed cake and neem seed coat (seed shell). There was 78, 67 and 52% reduction in total plant parasitic nematode populations in the mungbean crop and the increase in the grain yield was 74, 58 and 28% neem seed kernel, neem seed cake and neem seed coat (seed shell) respectively. In the case of chickpea crop, the percentage reduction in the total plant parasitic nematode was 87, 76 and 25 and the increase in the grain yield was 122, 78 and 48 respectively in neem seed kernel, neem seed cake and neem seed coat (seed shell).