Biopriming and integrated management of powdery mildew and anthracnose disease of chilli caused by Colletotrichum capsici (Sydow)

Abstract

Field experiment evaluating therein the effect of integrated use of seed treatment, vermicompost enriched with Tricoderma harzianum, seedling dip and foliar application of fungicides, conducted with the aim of finding safer alternatives to chemical fungicides for management of foliar diseases of chilli powdery mildew and anthracnose/fruit rot diseases during kharif 2015 and 2016 revealed that seed treatment with T. harzianum @ 10 g kg−1 at nursery followed by seedling dip with Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 10 g L−1 and spot application of enriched P. fluorescens (1.0 kg P. fluorescens enriched in 100 kg farm yard manure) @ 250 kg ha−1 followed by spray of (tebuconazole 50% + trifloxistrobin 25% WG) @ 0.5 g L−1 recorded least per cent disease index 47.80 and 33.30 per cent for anthracnose and powdery mildew, respectively, and recorded highest dry chilli yield (12.76 q ha–1) with net returns of ₹99,598 and highest B: C ratio (1:2.74) as compared to untreated check with 73.82 and 69.10 per cent disease index and dry chilli yield of 5.37 q ha−1.