Integration of Soil Solarization and Biological Control with a Fluorescent Pseudomonas Sp. for Controlling Bacterial Wilt Ralstonia solanacearum (E. F. Smith) Yabuuchi et al. of Ginger

Soil solarization after irrigation, 45 days prior to planting, is found to be effective in reducing bacterial wilt disease incidence in a wilt sick field in Wayanad district of Kerala (16.02 % compared to 21.10 % in control). The maximum mean difference in temperature taken at 14.00 h. was 12.2° C in plots mulched after irrigation. Significant reduction in the soil microbial population was observed during solarization. Seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens strain EM 85 along with solarization decreased the wilt incidence to 7.42 per cent and increased the yield to 29.42 U ha compared to 19.51 t/ha in control. Soil amendment with neem cake before solarization provide no additional advantage in controlling the disease.