Control of Root-Knot Disease of Mulberry by Homeopathic Medicines: Aakashmoni [Mt, 30c, 200c & 1000c] Prepared from the Funicles of Acacia Auriculiformis.
Abstract
Root-knot disease of mulberry caused by the nematode Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood, has important economic implications for sericulture (silk farming). The Homeopathic medicines; Aakashmoni mother tincture (MT) and potentised Aakashmoni 30C, Aakashmoni 200C and Aakashmoni 1000C, prepared from the crude extract from the funicles of Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn , will be applied by foliar spray on mulberry (Morus alba L.,cv.S1) infected with M. incognita juveniles (J2). Pre-treatment (ending 6 days before inoculation) and post-treatment (starting 6 days after inoculation) schedules will be tested. The uninoculated control batches will be treated with the same procedure with Aakashmoni mother tincture (MT), Aakashmoni 30C, Aakashmoni 200C and Aakashmoni 1000C. Both pre- and post-treatment significantly reduced nematode infection in terms of root gall number and nematode population in root. All the treated plants showed improved growth in terms of fresh biomass of shoot and root, length of shoot and root, number of leaves, leaf surface area, root and leaf-protein content. Aakashmoni 200C is the most effective medicine in all respects of nematode control as well as growth of the test plants. Pre-treatments show slightly better effects than the post-treatments. It is interesting that inoculated and treated plants not only are less affected by nematodes but also have a better growth than uninoculated untreated controls.