Impact of Plant Extracts and Chemicals against Bacterial Blight of Pomegranate

Abstract

Bacterial blight of pomegranate caused by Xanthomonas axanopodis pv. puniceae, is devastating disease causing huge losses to the production especially in pakistan last few years. It is caused by a bacterium Xanthomonas axanopodis pv. puniceae which damage the crop severely in favorable environment conditions. Current research was conducted to evaluate four chemicals; Streptomycin, Copper oxy-chloride, kasugmicine, Oxy-tetracycline and four plant extracts; Citrullus colocynths, Calotropis gigantea, Accica nelotica, and Moringa oleifera against Xanthomonas axanopodis pv. puniceae.. In Laboratory conditions result showed that maximum inhibition zone of bacterial growth was expressed by streptomycin sulphate (38mm) followed by copper oxycholoride (38mm), kasugmicine (34mmm), and oxy-tetracycline (24mm) respectively at 3% concentration after 72 hours' time interval. In plant extracts, maximum inhibition was expressed by Moringa olifera (27.6mm) followed by Accica nelotica (26.3mm), Citrullus colocynths (16.6mm), and Calotropis gigantea (19.3mm) at 25%, 35% and 45% concentration. In laboratory conditions significant results shown by chemical (copper oxycholoride) and plant extract (Moringa olifera) Copper oxycholoride were applied in greenhouse. The copper oxychloride shows lowest disease severity (23%) while Moringa olifera 36% as compared to positive and negative control.