In vitro exploration of bioagents and fungicides against leaf blight disease of gladiolus (Gladiolus grandiflorus L.)
Parbhane DV, Kadam JJ, Amrutha K, Raut RA, Pethe UB, Dalvi NV, Joshi MS, Vibhute SM and Phondekar UR
Leaf blight of gladiolus caused by Curvularia lunata is one of the most destructive and ravaging disease. In present investigation, six bioagents viz., Trichoderma viride, T. harzianum, T. koningii, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis and Aspergillus Niger and nine fungicides namely, Mancozeb 75% WP, Chlorothalonil 75% WP, Carbendazim 50% WP, Difenoconazole 25% EC, Propiconazole 25% EC, Copper Oxychloride 50% WP, Carbendazim 12% + Mancozeb 63% (75% WP), Propiconazole 13.9% + Difenoconazole 13.9% EC and Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% (72% WP) were evaluated in vitro at two different concentrations for their efficacy against the pathogen causing leaf blight of gladiolus. Among the bioagents evaluated, Trichoderma harzianum was the found most effective bioagent against C. lunata which showed complete mycelial inhibition of test pathogen followed by T. koningii (70.18%), Aspergillus Niger (63.33%) and T. viride (50.93%). Least inhibition of mycelium of test fungus was observed due to P. fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis which showed 42.22 and 40.07 per cent inhibition respectively. Among the fungicides evaluated, Difenoconazole 25% EC, Propiconazole 25% EC, Carbendazim 12% + Mancozeb 63% (75% WP), Propiconazole 13.9% + Difenoconazole 13.9% and Hexaconazole 4% + Zineb 68% (72% WP) each at both 0.1 and 0.2% concentrations were the most significantly superior fungicides in inhibiting the mycelial growth of Curvularia lunata with 100 per cent inhibition over control. Copper Oxychloride 50% WP at 0.25% concentration was least effective which inhibited 65.18% mycelial growth of the test pathogen.
