Eco-friendly management of bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) of brinjal in Arunachal Pradesh

Abstract

An experiment was conducted for two consecutive years (2011-12 and 2012-13) to identify resistant brinjal genotypes and evaluate the bio-efficacy of Pseudomonas fluorescens against bacterial wilt incited by Ralstonia solanacearum. None of the tested genotypes was found highly resistant against pathogen. Swarna Shyamali recorded the lowest wilt incidence (2.50% wilted plants) among all the genotypes. Hybrid-41, Swarna Pratibha, Arka Keshav and VNR-60 also showed resistant reaction. Anamika and BE-706 were found highly susceptible to bacterial wilt. Combination of seedling root dip treatment at the time of transplanting and soil drenching at 20 days after transplanting with P. fluorescens gave the lowest wilt incidence (14.75%), highest fruit yield (244.55 q ha-1) and the highest economic returns. However, it was comparable with soil drenching alone with P. fluorescens. The chemical treatments with bleaching powder and streptomycine (streptomicin sulphate 90% + tetracycline hydrochloride 10%) were found inferior to P. fluorescens soil drenching. Wilt incidence by using soil amendment mustard oil cake @ 5 q ha-1 and seedling root dip with P. fluorescens @ 25 g l-1 was at par with the chemical treatments.