Tebuconazole and Thiabendazole - Novel Fungicides to Control Toxigenic Fusarium Vertidllioides and Fumonisins in Maize

摘要

Maize is one of the staple food crop grown in India, and its production can be limited by species of Fusarium, which decreases seed germination and seedling survival. Apart from the disease causing ability it also reduces the nutritious value by producing several mycotoxins, among which fumonisins are most important. In the present study two novel fungicides viz., tebuconazole and thiabendazole were evaluated for their ability to inhibit the growth of toxigenic Fusarium verticillioides, reduce ear rot disease and fumonisins incidence and to enhance the seed quality parameters under both green house and field conditions. Tebuconazole at the rate of 5% aqueous solution effectively reduced ear rot disease and fumonisins accumulation to a maximum extentcompared to other fungicides during three consecutive years of experiment. Treatment with fungicides showed an early and higher expression of various defense enzymes like PAL, PO and PPO in the plants, which resulted in considerable reduction of ear rotdisease and fumonisins level.