Effect of rhizobium, alone and in combination with neem product against early blight Alternaria solani (Ell & Mart) disease of potato on economics

Abstract

The present investigation entitled “Effect of Rhizobium, alone and incombination withNeem Product against Early Blight Alternaria solani (Ell & Mart) disease of Potato” was conducted at the Experimental field of the Dept. of Plant Pathology, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Allahabad. The experiment was carried out on plot basis in Randomized Block Design with 8 treatments and 3 replications. Leaves were collected in a clean polythene bag and brought to the laboratory from infected potato plant having characteristic symptoms of disease. The PDA medium was prepared and the infected leaf was transferred into the medium. The slide was then prepared from the culture using lactophenol and cotton blue and observed under microscope to confirm the presence of Alternaria solani (Ell & Mart). But from the farmer’s point of view, the economics of disease management is important. In the present investigation cost benefit ratio was worked out, all the treatments were economically good compared with control but the most economical treatment was Neem oil (1:1.99) cost benefit ratio Neem seed kernel extract (1:1.68), Neem leaf extract (1:1.99), Neem cake (1:1.86), Neem bark (1:1.87) and Rhizobium produced (1:1.68) as compared to treated control Carbendazim (1:2.21) and untreated control (1:1.49).