Close on the heels of root knot nematode, a foreign pest, found destroying guava trees, researchers in the Department of Nemotology in Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) noticed presence of such nematode in pomegranate also.

As the area under pomegranate is increasing steadily in Coimbatore, Erode, Dindigul and Tirunelveli districts of Tamil Nadu due to its monetary benefits and import value, the growers of late are encountering problem of yellowing of leaves, stunting and lesser productivity of fruits, an official release said today.

Such trees were found to be severely infested with root knot nematodes on examining soil and root samples. As the presence and association of root knot nematode in pomegranate has not been documented so far in Tamil Nadu, it is presumed that the nematode could have spread from other States through saplings.

Therefore pomegranate growers are requested to subject their soil and root samples for nematode analysis by sending the samples to Department of Nematology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Applying farmyard manure at 20 tonnes/ha, neemcake at 250 g/tree followed by bio
agent Paecilomyces lilacinus at 25g/plant are suggested to manage nematode problem in pomegranate and to increase crop productivity.