Management of Fruit Rot (Phytophthora nicotianae var. nicotianae) of Bell Pepper (Capsicum annuum) with Mulch and Fungicide Application

摘要

Fruit rot (Phytophthora nicotianae B. de. Hann var. nicotianae Waterhouse) is an important disease of bell pepper in mid- hills of Himachal Pradesh causing huge losses to farmers (Sharma et al 2006). Fruit rot incidence has been reported to vary between 30 to 69 per cent. The pathogen is both seed and soil borne and infection takes place through rain-splashed zoospores (Verma et al 2001). The disease assumes serious proportions when there is fairly high rainfall during monsoon season. Though the disease can be kept under check with elaborate chemical spray programme (Bhardwaj and Sharma 1985) creation of a barrier between the host and soil in the form of mulch can lower the cost of production and help to check the environmental pollution. Studies were, therefore made to develop management practices using untreated pine needle mulch and fungicide treated mulch in comparison with foliage fungicide application on bell pepper fruits.