Abstract: The root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita is widely distributed in irrigated mulberry gardens of South India especially in light textured soils. It causes significant reduction in leaf yield and quality. Hence a number of control measures which include cultural, biological and chemical methods have been suggested to bring down the nematode population in mulberry gardens. However, since both cultural and chemical methods have some practical problems in implementation in addition to their advantages, an alternative method of nematode control by using bio-control agents is considered and was taken for study. In this study the bio-control agents namely Paecilomyces lilacinus and Verticillium chlamidosporium along with chemical nematicide Furadon 3G were taken. Culture filtrates of these two bio-control agents with 100, 75and 50concentration were taken to find out the nematode juvenile mortality rate at different durations. The two bio-control agents, Paecilomyces lilacinus and Verticillium chlamidosporium have shown nematicidal effect of 73.55and 78.45at 100concentration of culture filtrates after 72 h duration, through the difference between these two is not significant. Further it is noticed that though less effective than chemical nematicide Furadon 3G on the mortality of the juveniles, bio-control agents are safe, environmental friendly in nature, which can be used as bionematicides economically and eco-safely.

Key words: nematode, control, bio-nematicides, mulberry plants