Farmers trained on Nematode management strategies
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, August 06 2024: A two-day training programme on "Nematode Pests of Rice and Its Management" was conducted for farmers settling in villages in between Maklang and Langmeidong on August 2 and 3 and August 5 and 6, respectively.

The training was organised by All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Nematodes in Agriculture, Imphal Centre, under the auspices of College of Agriculture, Central Agricultural University (CAU), Imphal and funded by Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) as part of its NEH Component.

In all 100 farmer participants were educated on identification, impact, and management of nematode pests affecting rice crops.

Principal investigator of the project, Dr Kshetrimayum Sumita, who led the training, emphasised on the importance of understanding nematode issues, often mistaken for abiotic stress symptoms in rice plants.

Along with introducing the participants to various departments in the College of Agriculture, including crop production, improvement, protection, and post-harvest and value-added, Dr Sumita highlighted the significance of plant protection disciplines such as entomology, nematology, and plant pathology.

She also provided a PowerPoint presentation on nematode pests of rice, elaborated on specific nematodes like the Rice Root nematode, which is an emerging problem in the state, particularly in Imphal West, and the Rice Root-Knot nematode prevalent in Imphal East, as well as Ufra.

Nematode, commonly found in low-lying areas, and its management.

Strategies discussed during the training included soil solarisation, crop rotation with non host crops such as mustard, deep summer ploughing, and the use of bio-control agents like Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma harzianum in combination with farmyard manure (FYM).

The application of organic amendments like neem cake, castor oilcakes, or mustard oilcakes was also recommended while for chemical management, the use of Fleunsulphone or Carbofuran was suggested.

Farmers were advised to carefully examine plant roots when symptoms of stress appear to accurately identify whether it is caused by disease, insects, or nematodes.

The training also included practical demonstrations, where participants were shown live specimens of plant-parasitic nematodes and infested roots collected from different parts of the state.

To support the farmers in implementing the knowledge gained, neem cake and seeds of various crops were distributed at the conclusion of the programme.

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