Nematode disease in ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) and its management: A review

Abstract

Ashwagandha also known as Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal, is an annual evergreen shrub belongs to the family Solanaceae. It is an important medicinal plant having great global demand because of its therapeutic and medicinal uses. However, it is widely susceptible to root knot nematode named as Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White),which causes heavy loss to the plants and affects 100 billion dollars (approx.) annual economics, worldwide. Further, there are various methods for the nematode management viz., physical, chemical, biological including nematode trapping fungi but each of them is having certain merits and demerits. Therefore, the current review focused on different stages in the life cycle of nematode causing root knot disease of W. somnifera, and their common management practices as well as their 'pros and cons