Evaluation of plant extracts for the management of Cowpea anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum lindemuthianum

Abstract

The fungus Colletotrichum lindemuthianum is both seed and soil borne which is the causative of cowpea anthracnose. This causes a significant loss of the crop and becoming a major hindrance in its bumper productivity in all countries where such crop is grown. In order to find out an environment friendly, sustainable control protocol, experiments were conducted by taking eight different plant extracts against the pathogen. The extracts were applied to the plant samples after the 25th day of germination in the field. Application of neem followed by ginger, onion, garlic and tulsi extracts effectively reduce the percent disease incidence by 90%, 85%, 82%, 79% and 76%, respectively. Similarly, the percent green pod yield increased by 134,127, 114, 93 and 84, respectively over control as well as the cost-benefit ratio which can be recommended to the farming community.