Field Management of Maize Turcicum Leaf Blight Disease

Abstract

A field trial was conducted at college farm, Agricultural college, Bapatla, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University for two years i.e., 2020-21 and 2021-22 to determine the effect of fungicides, botanicals and cow based natural products for the management of turcicum leaf blight disease in maize. The crop was sprayed with seven different treatments starting from the appearance of the disease. All the treatments were effectively managed the disease when compared to the control. Among the treatments the fungicide difenconazole @ 0.15% showed highest reduction in disease control with the PDI of 11.5% and with maximum yield of 5547.17 kg/ha and B:C ratio of 2.55 followed by the fungicide azoxystrobin + difenconazole @ 0.25% with the PDI of 14.10% and yield of 5174.93 kg/ha and with B:C ratio of 2.42 during both the years. Henna aqueous leaf extract @ 15% resulted in the PDI of 22.83% at 7 days after third spray with the yield of 4589.73 kg/ha. The treatment cow dung @ 15% was on par with the control for both the years with the PDI of 49.64% and a yield of 3441.87 kg/ha and B:C ratio of 1.58 whereas control treatment resulted in the PDI of 60.66% and yield of 3120.30 kg/ha and the B:C ratio of 1.43.