In vitro evaluation of fungicides, botanicals and Cowdung against Exserohilum turcicum, maize leaf blight pathogen

An In vitro experiment was conducted at Plant Pathology lab, Agricultural college, Bapatla, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University to determine the effect of fungicides, botanicals and cow based natural products for the management Exserohilum turcicum, the pathogen which cause turcicum leaf blight disease in maize. The treatments used were tebuconazole @ 0.1%, difenconazole @ 0.15%, azoxystrobin + difenconazole @ 0.25%, henna aqueous leaf extract @ 15%, panchagavya @ 15% and cowdung @ 15%. All the treatments were found to differ significantly in their efficacy by inhibiting radial growth of E. turcicum compared to control. From two days after inoculation to eight days after inoculation, tebuconazole @ 0.1%, difenconazole @ 0.15%, azoxystrobin + difenconazole @ 0.25% and panchagavya @ 15% completely inhibited the pathogen (100%) while henna aqueous leaf extract @15% and cow dung @ 15% restricted pathogen growth at varied per cent While cow dung @15% could not inhibit the pathogen starting from two days (3.30 cm) to eight days after inoculation (9.00 cm) and was found significantly on par with the control (2.8 - 9.00 cm).