Poisoned Food Technique Research Articles

Effect of Fungicides on Mycelium Growth of Rhizoctonia solani of Rice under In-vitro

Sheath blight of rice caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn is emerging as very destructive disease causing heavy yield losses. This experiment was conducted at Department of plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Rewa (M.P.) during 2018-19. This experiment was carried out in a complete randomized design (CRD) with eight treatments including untreated control. Seven fungicides viz., Flusilazole12.5%+carbendazim 25% SC, Azoxystrobin 18.2% w/w+difenoconazole 11.4 w/w SC, Azoxystrobin 11%+Tebuconazole 18.3% w/w SC, Tricyclazole 18%+ mancozeb 62%WP, Zineb 68% + hexaconazole 4% WP, Trifloxystrobin 25%+Tebuconazole 50%WG, Mancozeb 50%+carbendazim 25%WS, were evaluate against R. solani of rice at different concentrations under in-vitro by poisoned food technique. The present study, among the tested fungicides Azoxystrobin 11%+Tebuconazole 18.3% w/w SC at 200 ppm and 100 ppm was found significantly superior in inhibiting the mycelial growth of R. solani over untreated check at 96 hrs. after incubation.

In vitro Antifungal Efficacy of Silver Nanoparticles against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Lycopersici in Tomato

Present investigation on Mycosynthesis of silver nanoparticles and antifungal activity of silver nanoparticles against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici in tomato was carried out at department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Latur to find out antifungal activity of silver nanoparticles against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici in tomato. Mycosynthesis of silver nanoparticles produced from the fungus Trichoderma harzianum. Characterization of silver nanoparticles were carried out by UV-Vis spectroscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) which revealed that synthesized nanoparticles were having the UV absorption peak at 420 nm and nanoprticle size was 50 nm. Silver nanoparticles demonstrated significant antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici in tomato by using Agar well diffusion method and Poisoned food technique. In Agar well diffusion method, the highest zone of inhibition 18.66 mm was recorded at 100 ppm concentration than other treatments. In poisoned food technique, the suspension of silver nanoparticles at 100 ppm concentration recorded highest (75.19%) inhibition. This was followed by 50 ppm, 30 ppm, 10 ppm conc. and Trichoderma culture filtrate which recorded 66.67%, 58.89%, 54.45% and 51.45% inhibition, respectively. Growth of the Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici in tomato decreased drastically with increase in the concentration of the silver nanoparticles.

Mitigating postharvest quantitative and qualitative losses in mango fruits through the application of biocontrol agents: An in-vivo and in-vitro assessment

Mango is a commercial fruit crop of India that suffers huge postharvest losses every year. The application of biocontrol agents (BCAs) bears a vast potential for managing the same, which is yet to be exploited to its fullest extent. Hence, studies were conducted for BCAs application of Debaryomyces hansenii, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens strains on mango fruit under in-vitro, in-vivo conditions to know the efficacy of these BCAs on the postharvest pathogen, shelf life and quality retention of mango fruit. The ‘poisoned food technique’ was attempted for in-vitro studies. For the in-vivo studies, fruit of the commercial cultivar ‘Amrapali’ were un-inoculated and pre-inoculated with major postharvest pathogens (anthracnose: Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and stem-end rot: Botryodiplodia theobromae) were treated with BCA, followed by ambient storage at (24 ± 4 °C, 75 ± 5 % RH). From the results, it has been observed that under in vitro studies, BCA Debaryomyces hansenii (Strain: KP006) and Bacillus subtilis (Strain: BJ0011) at the treatment level 108 CFU mL−1 while, the Pseudomonas fluorescens at 109 CFU mL−1 (Strain: BE0001) were significantly effective for pathogen inhibition. However, under the in vivo studies, the BCA Debaryomyces hansenii (Strain: KP006) at 108 CFU mL−1 treatment level was found to significantly reduce the pathogen's decay incidence while positively influencing the shelf life and biochemical (quality) attributes. This treatment increased the storage life of mango fruit by more than three days over control fruit. Therefore, BCA Debaryomyces hansenii (Strain: KP006) at 108 CFU mL−1 can be used to control the postharvest pathological loss of mango fruit without affecting its internal quality.

Effect of Selected Leaf Extracts on the Mycelial Radial Growth of Phytophthora sp. Causing Corm Rot of Colocasia (Colocasia esculenta L.)

In the present study the pathogenicity of Phytophthora sp. causing corm rot of colocasia was proved by Koch’s postulates. Sixteen infected corm samples were collected from different markets in two districts (West Godavari and East Godavari) of Andhra Pradesh and pot experiment was carried out in the Department of Plant Pathology, SHUATS, Prayagraj during Rabi season (2022-23). Out of those, the sample which collected from Kovvur Rythu Bazar, West Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh shows high pathogenicity. Five leaf extracts viz., neem, mint, lantana, tulsi and periwinkle @ 5, 10 and 15% concentrations were evaluated by using poisoned food technique against Phytophthora sp. Among all the leaf extracts, neem leaf extract @ 5, 10 and 15% concentrations recorded minimum radial growth (26.43, 24.73 and 22.77 mm, respectively) and maximum per cent inhibition (33.27, 37.59 and 42.55%, respectively) of Phytophthora sp. at 120 hrs of incubation as compared to other leaf extracts, treated (Metalaxyl) and untreated checks. The present study is limited to one trial in Prayagraj conditions, therefore to substantiate the present results more such trials are required in future for further recommendation.

Efek Antijamur Ekstrak Daun Selasih Liar (Ocimum gratissimum) pada Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae dan Alternaria porri pada Bawang Merah The antifungal properties of clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.) extract on Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cepae and Alter

The antifungal properties of clove basil (Ocimum gratissimum L.) extract on Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cepae and Alternaria porri were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Thirty grams of the clove basil sterilized leaves were mashed in a sterile mortar, soaked for 24 hr in 100 mL of 96% ethanol as an extractant. The extract was filtered through sterile Whatman No. 1 filter paper and stored at 4°C for subsequent use. Three different concentrations (5, 10, and 15%) were applied using the poisoned food technique. A 4-mm diameter mycelial disc of each tested fungus was inoculated on each amended agar plate. Daily radial growth was recorded for 7 days. For the in vivo test, two different concentrations (15% and 20%) were used. No spray and mancozeb spraying were used as controls. Seed bulbs of shallots were planted in a 25 cm x 25 cm polybag and allowed to be naturally infected by Alternaria porri. The clove basil leaf extract and mancozeb were sprayed onto the plants once a week, starting when the first symptom of the purple blotch disease appeared. The results showed that clove basil leaf extract had good efficacy in inhibiting F. Oxysporum f. sp. Cepae and A. Porri in vitro, with a growth inhibition up to 55%. The extract can also reduce the disease intensity of purple blotch with an infection rate of 0.029, indicating that it has the potential to be developed as a botanical fungicide. Keywords: antifungal effect, Alternaria porri, clove basil, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cepae, leaf extract

Phytochemical Analysis of Different Plant Extracts and their Inhibitory Effects on Aspergillus niger and Fusarium solani

Plant extracts constitutes versatile phytochemicals which can be substituted with commercial synthetic chemicals to inhibit the growth of pathogens. In this study, the methanol and aqueous extracts of guava, jackfruit, tulsi, peppermint and eucalyptus leaves were evaluated in-vitro against Aspergillus niger and Fusarium solani isolated from Pomegranate and Guava respectively. Plant extracts were prepared using Soxhlet apparatus and condensed the extract by rotary evaporation. Highest yield was obtained in methanol plant extracts compared to aqueous extract, as it causes differences in the polarity of the extraction which leads to wide variation in the level of bioactive compounds in the extract. Poison food technique was used to test the antifungal activity of plant extracts. Jackfruit leaves methanol extract at 7000ppm showed maximum inhibition of 88.89% and guava leaves aqueous extract at 3000ppm showed minimum inhibition of 48.15% against Aspergillus niger. In case of Fusarium solani maximum inhibition was observed in jackfruit leaves methanol extract at 7000ppm of 87.89% and minimum inhibition was recorded in eucalyptus leaves aqueous extract of 57.41% at 3000ppm.The qualitative phytochemical screening of selected plant extracts showed various phytochemicals in plant extracts like tannins, phenols, flavonoids, terpenoid, saponin and alkaloid. GC-MS analysis of jackfruit methanol extract showed the presence of 9-Octadecenoic acid (Z)-, 2-hydroxy-1, Octadecanoic acid and Benzene, 1, 2-dimethoxy-4-(1-propenyl). All these findings implied the availability of various phytochemicals might be a source of antifungal agent for inhibition of pathogens and to improve the postharvest quality of fruits.

Prospecting the Effectiveness of Fungicides and Bioagents against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz & Sacc.

Aims: The leaf spot caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz & Sacc. is one of the most serious disease in all mango growing regions of the world. In vitro bioassay of fungicides and bioagents were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of different fungicides and bioagents against C. gloeosporioides.
 Study Design: Poison food techique for fungicides bioassay and dual culture technique for bioagents bioassay.
 Place and Duration of Study: The laboratory studies were conducted in the Department of Plant Pathology, N. M. College of Agriculture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat, India during 2020–2021.
 Methodology: The poison food technique assessed the efficacy of systemic, contact and combination fungicides against C. gloeosporioides. While the dual culture method was employed to gauge the potency of biocontrol agents, against C. gloeosporioides. 
 Results: In laboratory screening, systemic fungicides such as carbendazim and difenconazole were shown to have 100% growth suppression at 500 ppm. Mancozeb and copper oxychloride, two contact fungicides, demonstrated 100% growth inhibition of C. gloeosporioides at 2500 ppm . The combi-product fungicides tricyclazole 18% + mancozeb 62%, hexaconazole 4% + zineb 68%, and carbendazim 12% + mancozeb 63% were shown to exhibit 100% growth inhibition at 2000 ppm. Using the dual culture method, five distinct bioagents were tested in vitro for their ability to prevent the development of C. gleosporiodes. Trichoderma harzianum showed up as one of them to be a powerful and effective antagonist of C. gleosporiodes.
 Conclusion: In vitro fungicide and bioagent testing provides preliminary data on the effectiveness of fungicides against pathogens, guiding field testing. The study evaluated the effectiveness of fungicides and bioagents in suppressing the leaf spot pathogen of mango.

Effect of Antagonists and Botanicals Against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae In Vitro

The present study was conducted during kharif (July-November, 2020) at the Department of plant pathology, N. M. College of Agriculture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat (396 450), India to examine the efficacy of four recognized antagonists and a control against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. By employing paper disc method the results indicated that Bacillus subtilis exhibited the highest radius of inhibition. Following this, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viride were identified as the next most effective antagonists. In addition, ten different botanical extracts, including a control, were examined for their inhibitory impact on the bacterial growth of bacterial blight at a 5% concentration using the poisoned food technique. Among these extracts, garlic clove extract demonstrated the maximum inhibition radius against the pathogen, followed by tulsi leaf extract and neem leaf extract, attributed to potent toxic principles. Conversely, extracts from karanj, nilgiri, dhatura, jetropha and rhizomes of ginger, turmeric and onion bulb were found to be less effective against Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. The goal of this study provided valuable insights to determine the potential antagonists and botanicals against bacterial blight of rice in vitro with experimental design of Completely Randomized Design which offer a cost effective solution for the disease, in increasing crop yield to the rice growing farmers of Gujarat without disturbing ecosystem and without creating the problems of pollution.

Phytochemical characterization of forest leaves extracts and application to control apple postharvest diseases

The study investigated the antifungal and phytochemical properties of three forest plants (Eucalyptus globulus, Pistacia lentiscus, and Juniperus phoenicea) against apple diseases caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Alternaria alternata. The determination of the total polyphenol and flavonoid contents in the three aqueous extracts of studied plants showed that E. globulus exhibited the highest contents than those of P. lentiscus and J. phoenicea. Furthermore, the three studied extracts showed very appreciable antioxidant activity with decreasing order: E. globulus, P. lentiscus, and J. phoenicea. The phytochemical analysis showed different common phenolic acids in the three studied plants namely: quinic acid, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, and caffeoylquinic acid as well as other flavonoids mainly quercetin and catechin. The results of the current study demonstrated that the fungistatic activity of E. globulus EO (4 and 2 µl/ml) seemed to be the most effective under laboratory conditions with an inhibition zone diameter above 16 mm. However, the poisoned food technique indicated that the aqueous extract (80%) and the essential oil (4 µl/ml) of E. globulus exhibited the highest mycelial growth (> 67%) and spore germination (> 99%) inhibition. Preventive treatments with essential oils (4 µl/ml) and aqueous extracts (80%) applied to apple fruits inoculated with A. alternata and C. gloeosporioides resulted in the lowest lesion diameter (< 6.80 mm) and disease severity index (< 15%) and the most favorable inhibitory growth (> 85.45%) and protective potentials (> 84.92%). The results suggest that E. globulus has a brilliant future in the management of anthracnose and Alternaria rot of apple and provide a basis for further studies on its effects under field conditions.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of fungicides against anthracnose disease on pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

Successful cultivation of pomegranate in India has faced many challenges, with diseases and pests being the major constraints. Many pathogens affect pomegranate leaves and fruits, and anthracnose, which can cause significant damage to the pomegranate crop. The spraying of fungicides with varying modes of action is a successful disease management approach. Hence, the present work was aimed to characterize the pathogen and evaluate the different fungicides for the effective control of the disease under field conditions. The pathogen was identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides through morphological features and sequencing of ITS 1 and ITS 4 regions. Fifteen fungicides were then tested in vitro against C. gloeosporioides using the poison food technique at various concentrations. Out of the five contact fungicides evaluated, copper oxychloride was found to be the most effective against C. gloeosporioides. On the other hand, all three concentrations of pyraclostrobin, thiophanate methyl, tebuconazole, hexaconazole, and propiconazole showed 100 % inhibition. Among the five combination products tested, propiconazole + difenconazole, tebuconazole + trifloxystrobin, and pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole showed 100 % inhibition. After the in vitro results, the field evaluation was further studied to find the most effective fungicides. The trifloxystrobin + tebuconazole fungicide was found to have a percent disease index of 4.50, which was significantly lower than all other treatments. The plots treated with this fungicide produced the highest yield of 10.92 t/ha, followed by Pyraclostrobin + Epoxiconazole at 9.89 t/ha. The control plot had the lowest yield, producing only 3.02 t/ha. Based on field evaluations, Tebuconazole + Trifloxystrobin is recommended as a preventative measure against anthracnose disease in pomegranates.

Antifungal efficacy and phytochemical characterization of citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus Jowitt ex Bor) essential oil against fungal pathogens causing severe diseases in Mentha arvensis L.

Mentha arvensis L. (family Lamiaceae) is one of the important medicinal plants and India is the largest producer of Mentha oil in the world, contributing about 80% of the total global production followed by China (9%), Brazil (7%) and the USA (4%). However, this crop suffers quantitative and qualitative losses due to the wilt and leaf spot diseases caused by the fungi Fusarium oxysporum and Alternaria alternata, respectively; therefore, an attempt has been made for the management of these fungal pathogens. The citronella essential oil was extracted by hydro-distillation method (Clevenger, 1928). The oil thus extracted was used for in vitro antifungal efficacy against the both fungi F. oxysporum and A. alternata, using poison food technique. The results showed that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the citronella oil against F. oxysporum and A. alternata was 1.0 μL/mL; however, it was cidal in nature at 1.2 μL /mL and 1.5 μL/mL against both fungi, respectively. Further, phytochemical characterization of citronella oil was done using GC/GC-MS. Gas chromatographic analysis of the citronella oil revealed 18 phytoconstituents which were identified by retention indices aided with NIST-MS database. The major constituents of essential oil were citronellal (28.78%), geraniol (26.31%), citronellol (12.90%), geranial (9.85%), and neral (7.9%). The findings of the current study show that citronella oil could be an alternative to synthetic fungicides, after detailed investigations.

Chemical characterization and antifungal potential of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. followed by molecular docking studies

The present study involves the chemical characterization and antifungal potential of fenugreek Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (fenugreek) seeds/leaves essential oils and their major constituents along with computational molecular docking calculations. The fenugreek seeds and leaves essential oils were extracted by hydro-distillation and characterized by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and Gas chromatography-flame ionization detector. Benzyl acetate (51.70%) and γ-tocopherol (42.09%), the major compounds in fenugreek seeds and leaves essential oils respectively were isolated by column chromatography. The essential oils and their major compounds were investigated for their antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani and Drechslera oryzae by the Poison food technique. Among all the treatments, fenugreek leaves essential oil was the most effective with ED50 values of 850 and 1120 ppm against R. solani and D. oryzae respectively. All the treatments were found more effective against R. solani than D. oryzae. Molecular docking studies of the major compounds present in the essential oils against R. solani agglutinin (PDB ID 4G9N and 4G9M) suggested that 9,19-cyclolanost-24-en-3-ol present in abundance in fenugreek leaves essential oil than the seeds essential oil bound effectively with the targeted protein with the docking score of -6.14 kcal mol−1. Overall, our combined experimental and computational study provides scientific justification for the use of fenugreek leaves essential oil as a natural antifungal agent against R. solani. Moreover, fenugreek leaves essential oil being most effective against D. oryzae may also be used as a natural antifungal agent against it.

Management of rice sheath blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn. using environmentally friendly method-an alternative to fungicides

Paddy is the second crop where huge amounts of chemicals are used for production, majorly for disease control. To avoid excess use of chemicals in the rice fields and also to find the best alternative solution to fungicides for sheath blight disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani, research was carried out by using various bioagents, plant extracts and synthetic bio-polymers. Prior to the field experiments, in vitro studies were carried out to check the efficacy of various bio agents and plant extracts by using dual culture and poisoned food techniques, respectively. Trichoderma harzianum showed the highest mycelial growth inhibition (60.37%), followed by Pseudomonas fluorescens (54.4%), and the least effective was showed by T. asperellum (37.44%). The field experiments were carried out in Kharif 2019-20 and 2020-21, to test the fruitfulness of in vitro studies along with some biopolymers. In Kharif 2019-20 out of all the treatments, effective treatment with least mean disease severity was observed in chitosan (12.50%) and nano silicon (14.79%) application when compared to the fungicide hexaconazole 5 EC (13.89%) which was used as a positive control and the least effective treatment was observed in seaweed extract (18.81%), followed by T. viride (19.0%) whereas, the untreated control showed 28.73% of disease severity. In Kharif 2020-21 chitosan (18.77%) and nano silicon (23.95%) treatments were effective when compared to the hexaconazole 5 EC (23.21%) and highest disease severity was observed in seaweed extract (37.0 %), followed by T. viride (34.81%), whereas the untreated control showed 51.6 % of mean disease severity.

Studies on Fusarium wilt of Watermelon by using Antifungal Agents: An Invitro in Sights

Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is highly prone to Fusarium wilt, caused by a deadly soil-borne pathogen called Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (FON). Changes in production practices in crops, reduction in usage of fumigation with methyl bromide, crop rotation activities, and increasing human population, led to a resurgence of more virulent strains of FON. When resistant varieties are unavailable, the disease must be managed through a combination of integrated disease control practices. We conducted in vitro screening of botanicals where Allium cepa exhibited maximum inhibition of 80.32 and 82.62 percent at 5 and 10 percent concentrations, respectively. In vitro evaluation of bioagents revealed the maximum percent inhibition by T. harzianum (83.03%) followed by B. subtilis, A. flavus, P. fluorescence, T. viride, and A. niger. Fungicides by Poisoned Food Technique showed that a combination of carbendazim +mancozeb was effective in mycelial inhibition of 99.74 and 99.81 percent at 500 and 1000 ppm concentration respectively. The knowledge obtained from these in vitro findings can be applied in the field at a large scale for reducing and managing watermelon wilt disease.

Screening of Advanced Germplasm against Ascochyta rabiei and its Management

Ascochyta blight is caused by Ascochyta rabiei, one of the most prevalent chickpea diseases worldwide. Losses could reach as high as 100%, and this damage could significantly affect both seed quality and production. The most effective way for the management of this disease is genetic resistance. Seventeen chickpea varieties/lines were screened against a virulent isolate of Ascochyta rabiei in controlled environmental conditions. Advance Line-2, Bittle-2016, and Noor-2009 within the germplasm exhibit a moderately resistant reaction. TG-1415 and Advance Line-1 demonstrate a moderately susceptible response. On the other hand, Noor-2013, Star-Channa, and Rohi display a highly susceptible response. In the poisoned food technique among applied treatments at 50 ppm, Diphenoconazole proved be best, with a 46% reduction in the growth of the pathogen, followed by propiconazole and Azoxystrobine+Diphenoconazole with 45.5 % and 45%, respectively. In the mean while in glasshouse evaluation at 50ppm, Diphenoconazol proved best with a minimum disease severity of 24%, followed by propiconazole and Metalaxyl with a 25.9% and 27% reduction in disease severity, respectively.

Identification of secondary metabolites biosynthetic genes, antagonistic activity and potential mechanism of &lt;i&gt;Bacillus subtilis&lt;/i&gt; NBAIR-BSWG1 in suppression of &lt;i&gt;Alternaria alternata&lt;/i&gt;

Alternaria alternata wreaks havoc on fruit and vegetable production globally, threatening food security by causing black leaf spot disease. Bacillus subtilis, a natural inhabitant of soil, is a promising biological control agent for the management of A. alternata. In the present study, the antagonistic potential of B. subtilis NBAIR-BSWG1 was initially confirmed against A. alternata through a dual culture technique with 43.03% inhibition of mycelial growth. Subsequently, we extracted the cell-free extract from the NBAIR-BSWG1 pure culture and assessed its impact on A. alternata through the poison food technique and found mycelial growth inhibition of 85.82%. Identification of secondary metabolites biosynthetic genes using specific PCR markers showed the presence of surfactin genes (sfp, srf AA) with an amplicon size of 675 bp and 201 bp, respectively. Amplification of fengycin (fenB) and iturin (ituD) at 670 bp and 423 bp respectively, by using a specific PCR primer confirms the contribution of fengycin and iturin for the antagonistic potential of NBAIR-BSWG1. This study identifies NBAIR-BSWG1 as an effective bacterial biocontrol agent for control of A. alternata, unlocks the genetic basis of antifungal activity NBAIR-BSWG1, depicts molecular mechanisms involved in biological suppression of A. alternata by NBAIR-BSWG1 paving the way for the development of bioformulations for management of A. alternata.

COMPARATIVE APPRAISEMENT OF SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS, PHYTOCHEMICALS AND HOST RESISTANCE TOWARDS FUSARIUM MONILIFORME CAUSING STALK ROT OF MAIZE

Stalk rot of maize is one of the most important emerging threat to the successful production of Pakistan. It causes 10-40% yield losses which may reach up to 100% due to conducive conditions in some areas of country. Current research effort was made to cope with stalk rot of maize caused by Fusarium moniliforme (Fm) through synthetic chemicals, botanical extracts and source of resistance. Disease samples of maize were collected from Faisalabad regions to isolate pathogenic fungus. Screening of ten varieties (Gohar-19, Sahiwal Gold, Malka-2016, FH-1046, YH-5427, Pearl, DK-6317 MMRI, AS-5101, and DK-9108) was done. Among these varieties, YH-5427 expressed highly resistance response. By using poisoned food technique, five synthetic chemicals (Tilt, Belanty, Forum-Top, Cabrio-Top, and Enervin Duo) and eight phytochemicals (Azadirachta indica, Allium sativum, Eucalyptus globulus, Zingiber officinale, Ficus benjamina, Cinnamomum tamala, Mentha piperita and Moringa olerifas) were evaluated against Fm at three different concentrations (50, 100, 150ppm) and (3, 5 and 7%) respectively under lab conditions. Among all tested treatments, tilt and moringa showed significant results under lab conditions and further investigated under field conditions alone and in combination against stalk rot of maize. Minimum disease incidence was expressed by Tilt + Moringa (9.69%) in integration followed by Tilt (16.78%) and Moringa (30.89%) as compared to control. Lab and field experiments were conducted under Complete Randomized Design (CRD) and Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) respectively. To observe the difference among the treatments towards maize stalk rot, least significant difference (LSD) was used at 0.05 % probability level.

In vitro sensitivity of Rhizoctonia solani f. sp. sasakii causing banded leaf and sheath blight of maize against different fungicides

The laboratory experiment was conducted to evaluate the new fungicide molecules against Rhizoctonia solani f. sp. sasakii by poisoned food technique under in vitro conditions. Out of eleven fungicides tested, the maximum (100%) mycelial inhibition was documented in eight treatments involving both systemic and combi fungicides viz., Carbendazim 50% WP, Propiconazole 25% EC, Tebuconazole 250 EC, Metiram 55% + Pyraclostrobin 5% WG, Fluopyram 17.7% + Tebuconazole 17.7% SC, Iprovalicarb 5.5% + Propineb 61.25%, Carboxin 37.5% + Thiram 37.5% WP and Tebuconazole 50% + Trifloxystrobin 25% WG at all the concentrations tested. Whereas, the least mycelial inhibition was recorded in Pencycuron 250 SC and Dimethomorph 50% WP at 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15 per cent concentrations, respectively.

Evaluation of Antifungal Potential of Phytoextracts and Chemicals against Root Rot of Soybean caused by Rhizoctonia solani

Rhizoctonia solani is a soil-borne fungal pathogen that causes root rot diseases in various crops. The soybean crop is also susceptible to this pathogen, resulting in severe yield losses. Due to its soil-borne nature, controlling infestations with a single treatment is challenging. Therefore, the current study was designed to evaluate synthetic chemicals and phytoextracts as an integrated approach to manage soybean root rot caused by R. solani under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Diseased samples were collected from the field area of the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad. The pathogen was isolated and identified as Rhizoctonia solani using available literature at the Phytopathology Laboratory, Department of Plant Pathology. Four fungicides (Tilt, Cabriotop, Amister top, and Champion) and phytoextracts (Garlic, Ginger, Turmeric, and Eucalyptus) were investigated at three different concentrations under in vitro conditions using the poisoned food technique. The findings revealed that significant inhibition of mycelial growth was observed with Tilt fungicide (4.5 mm) and Garlic extract (12.92 mm) at all concentrations. Subsequently, these two were further investigated under greenhouse conditions, both individually and in combination. Results indicated that the combination of Tilt + Garlic was highly effective against soybean root rot, with the lowest disease incidence of 4.52%, followed by the sole application of Tilt (13.35%) and Garlic (15.75%), respectively. Therefore, it was concluded that using more than one treatment in an integrated approach can be more effective in controlling soil-borne pathogens such as R. solani.

Compatibility Analysis of Mushroom with different Botanicals in In vitro Condition

White button mushroom [Agaricus bisporus (Lange) Imbach] is the most popular cultivated edible mushroom, fetching high price and still dominating in Indian and International market. However, the limiting factor for its successful cultivation is the occurrence of competitor moulds. The present investigations were carried out in the laboratory Department of Plant Pathology, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. In this experiment different botanical (seed extract) viz., Trachyspermum ammi (Ajwain), Foeniculum vulgare (Saunf), Anethum graveolens (Soa), Trigonella foenumgraecum (Methi) were evaluated to test their compatibility with Agaricus bisporus. The botanicals (seed extract) were evaluated in vitro through poison food technique at 10, 20 and 30% concentrations and 24, 48 &amp; 72 hours of incubation. The maximum radial growth of Agaricus bisporus was observed in T0-Control (Agaricus bisporus) (16.45mm), (17.12 mm) and (17.22 mm) and minimum in T1 - Trachyspermum ammi (Ajwain) (1.46mm), (0.83mm) and (0.60mm) at 10, 20 and 30 percent concentration respectively. Maximum percentage of inhibition was observed in T1 - Trachyspermum ammi (Ajwain) (91.11%), (95.13%) and (96.50%) at 10, 20 and 30 percent concentration respectively.