EPIDEMIOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT OF STEMPHYLIUM BLIGHT OF GARLIC
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Date
2018-10
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Publisher
UHF, NAUNI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Stemphylium blight caused by Stemphylium vesicarium (Wallr.) E. Simmons is an important
destructive disease among various other diseases. It appears every year in moderate to severe form in
different garlic growing areas of Solan and Sirmaur districts of Himachal Prdaesh. The causative
fungus isolated from infected leaves of diseased plants grew in the form as off white mycelium, which
later turned golden brown and finally velvety on PDA. Conidia were oblong to oval, light to olive
brown in colour, produced on straight to variously curved cylindrical conidiophores. Thus, based
upon morphological and cultural characters, the causative fungus was identified as Stemphylium
vesicarium (Wallr.) E. Simmons. The pathogenicity tests revealed peculiar symptoms as small white
to yellow flecks which later turned into lesions tan brown in colour and expanded along the leaf blade,
giving blighted appearance to the leaves. Epidemiological studies revealed that the temperature of
25ÂșC, inoculum concentration of 6x104 conidia/ml, leaf wetness period of 72 h and relative humidity
of more than 90 per cent were optimum for the rapid progression of disease reflecting significant
higher infection rate under artificial epiphytotic conditions. Under field conditions, disease was
affected by variation in weather variables, as dry and moist weather coupled with intermittent rains
favoured the progression of Stemphylium leaf blight disease. Twelve genotypes were tested against
Stemphylium blight disease of garlic. None of the genotypes tested was found immune or resistant to
the disease whereas, Kandaghat Selection was found moderately resistant against the disease. In vitro
evaluation of fungicides indicated Folicur (tebuconazole), and Companion (carbendazim+mancozeb)
as potent mycelial growth inhibitors of S. vesicarium. Field evaluation studies inferred the application
of three foliar sprays of Folicur (tebuconazole) @ 0.1 per cent at ten days interval started with the
initiation of disease to be most efficacious in limiting Stemphylium blight of garlic (71.5%) and
enhancing the bulb yield (145.7q/ha) with ICBR ratio of 1:9.1.
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