Effect of Rhizobacteria as Seed Inoculation on Root-Knot Nematode and Plant Growth in Rice-Nursery Pankaj K.1, Bansal R.K.2, Dabur K.R.2 1Department of Microbilogy, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana-125 004 (India) 2Department of Nematology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, Haryana-125 004 (India) Online published on 12 April, 2012. Abstract A pot experiment representing nursery-bed, was carried out to evaluate the antagonistic potential of various rhizobacterial strains, applied as seed treatment on dwarf rice (cv. PR-106) for the mitigation of Meloidogyne graminicola activity during early growth of rice seedling. Twenty two rhizobacterial strains belonging to Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus; Azotobacter chroococcum; Pseudomonas maltophila. P. fluorescens and Bacillus spp., were tested. All the bacteria were found to reduce nematode infection to varing levels. However, seed inoculation with G. diazotrophicus Co99-70 was the most effective of all the strains in preventing juvenile penetration by up to 95 per cent, ten days after seed germination compared to that in untreated check. Among all the bacteria tested, G. diazotrophicus Co99-70; Bacillus sp. RKB-91 and RKB-68; Pseudomonas sp. RKP-33 were significantly effective in reducing root-galling severity ranging between 67 and 84% and in suppressing nematode multiplication. Additionally, these bacteria also helped in promoting seedling growth. Top Keywords Rhizobacteria, root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne graminicola. Top |