Integrated management strategies in chilli powdery mildew

Abstract

Powdery mildew of chilli caused by Leveillula taurica is one of the most serious diseases of chilli. To assess the efficacy of fungicides, bioagents and botanicals against chilli powdery mildew in vitro evaluation was carried out. Among the ten fungicides evaluated, the maximum inhibition of conidial germination was recorded in azoxystrobin (90.38%) and least inhibition of conidial germination was observed in carbendazim (71.47 %) at 0.15 per cent concentration. Among the four bioagents evaluated Bacillus subtilis (50.48 %) was found effective and nimbicidin (65.05 %) at 2.5 was recorded maximum conidial germination inhibition among the botanicals. Based on the results of in vitro evaluation, the effective fungicide, botanical and bioagent were selected for field trial to check their efficacy. Among the eight treatments three sprays of azoxystrobin (0.1%) was found effective by showing less per cent disease index of 6.86 with yield of 13.25 q/ha and cost benefit ratio of 1: 3.33 followed by treatment with two sprays of azoxystrobin (0.1%) and one spray of Nimbicidin (2.5%) with per cent disease index of 13.89 and yield of 12.54 q/ha and cost benefit ratio of 1:3.26. Whereas, three sprays of Bacillus subtilis (1%) was found to be least effective by showing high per cent disease index of 34.58 with yield of 8.78 q/ha and cost benefit ratio of 1:2.52.