Management of leaf blight disease caused by Alternaria alternata in Gloriosa superba

Abstract

Gloriosa superba is a medicinal plant severely infested with leaf blight caused by Alternaria alternata. The effect of fungicides and bio control agents in managing the leaf blight disease under field conditions was carried out at two different locations in farmer’s field. Among the seven treatments, foliar spray of Tebuconazole + Trifloxystrobin @ 0.05 % at 30, 45,60 days after planting recorded maximum disease reduction over control (70.91 %) as compared to other bioagents treatments followed by the treatment with foliar spray of carbendazim + mancozeb @ 0.1% at 30, 45,60 DAP which recorded 64.18% reduction over control on 75 days after planting. This treatment also recorded yield parameters viz., number of flowers per plant (37.0), number of pods per plant (34.0) and number of seeds per pod (54.70). In the control, plant growth and yield parameters viz., plant height (95.83 cm), number of flowers per plant (26.0), number of pods per plant (20.0) and number of seeds per pod (30.80) were found to be the lowest. The maximum seed yield of 442.50 kg/ha was recorded in treatment involving spraying of Tebuconazole + Trifloxystrobin @ 0.05% at 30, 45,60 DAP with 15.74% increase in yield over control followed by foliar spray of P. fluorescens (Pf) 0.2% on 30 DAP + foliar spray of Bacillus subtilis (Bs1) 0.2% on 45 DAP + foliar spray of Streptomyces geysiriensis (Pts2) 0.2% on 60 DAP which recorded 430.20 kg/ha with 12.53% increased yield over control.