Eco-friendly management of incitant Rhizoctonia solani, the causing sheath blight in Kodo millet

Abstract

Sheath blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani is one of the most serious diseases worldwide. The disease is currently managed only by the excessive application of chemical fungicides which are toxic and not environmentally friendly. Therefore, greater emphasis should be given to biological control as being both safe and effective. A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2017, at Agricultural Research Station, Vizianagaram for the management of banded sheath blight disease in kodo millet by using potential biocontrol agents viz., Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma asperellum. Lowest sheath blight intensity (49.33%) was recorded in T7 i.e. soil application of value added P. fluorescens + T. asperellum + B. subtilis (one kg talc formulation mixed in 25 kg FYM or vermicompost, incubated for 15 days) followed by 53.33% in T1 (i.e., Seed treatment with Trichoderma asperellum @ 10 g/kg) and the highest (61.33%) in T6 whereas it was 76.00% in the control. And high grain (1274.07 kg/ha) and fodder yield (2233.33 kg/ha) was found in T7 whereas, it was 459.26 kg/ha and 1390.30 kg/ha in the control respectively. In mean of all locations the lowest sheath blight intensity (22.11) was recorded in T7 i.e. soil application of value added P. fluorescens + T. asperellum + B. subtilis (one kg talc formulation mixed in 25 kg FYM or vermicompost, incubated for 15 days) and the highest (31.31%) in T3 whereas it was 41.24% in the control.