Management of powdery mildew of Euonymus japonicus in Kashmir Valley

Abstract

Powdery mildew of Euonymus japonicus was managed by chemicals, bioagents and pruning based integrated disease management (IDM) approaches. Among fungicides flusilazole significantly reduced disease intensity by 8.30 and 1.36% as compared to 58.80 and 18.05% in check on leaves and twigs respectively, while, potassium bicarbonate was less effective than the fungicides. Among the biocontrol agents tested in vivo, Ampelomyces quisqualis was significantly superior in reducing the PDI by 34.71 and 9.72% on leaves and twigs as compared to 58.16 and 17.10% on check. Trichoderma viride was the least effective in reducing the PDI by only 40.53 and 12.17 on leaves and twigs, respectively. Pruning of twigs 6 cm below diseased area proved significantly superior to other pruning levels in checking the disease by 18.79 and 5.08% on leaves and twigs, respectively. In case of IDM approach, alternate sprays of flusilazole (0.02%) and A. quisqualis culture filtrate (50%) along with pruning of twigs (6 cm below diseased area) proved as the most effective integrated disease management strategy by exhibiting 2.33 and 0.16% disease intensity on leaves and twigs compared to 56.40 and 17.15% in the check.