Efficacy of Plant Extracts, Biological Agents and Fungicides Against Alternaria Blight of Cumin

摘要

Alternaria blight of cumin is an important fungal disease known to cause heavy yield losses in Gujarat. The extract of garlic bulb (Allium sativum) at 15% inhibited the mycelial growth (67%) of Alternaria burnsii in vitro. Trichoderma viride and T harzianum also inhibited fungal growth. However, T viride exhibited significantly higher mycelial growth inhibition (70%) and grew over the mycelium of A. burnsii. Out of five systemic fungicides tested, the pathogen inhibition was high (83%) with tridemorph at 250 ppm or 500 ppm. Among the non-systemic fungicides, mancozeb completely inhibited the fungal growth even at a lower concentration of 500 ppm. Due to a minimum disease intensity, the highest yield of 373 kg/ha was recorded with spray application of mancozeb (0.2%).