STUDIES ON BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF WHITE ROT OF GARLIC (Sclerotium cepivorum Berk.)
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Date
2024-04-22
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UHF Nauni
Abstract
The present investigation entitled “Studies on Biological Control of White rot of Garlic (Sclerotium
cepivorum Berk.)” was conducted in the Department of Plant Pathology, Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture
and Forestry (Nauni) Solan (HP) -173 230 India during 2021-2023. The pathogen associated with white rot disease
of garlic was identified as Sclerotium cepivorum Berk. The optimum temperature and pH, for growth of the
pathogen was observed to be 15-20°C and 4-5, respectively. Among all the indigenous biocontrol agents tested in
vitro, Trichoderma sp. strain 1 exhibited the highest efficacy with mycelial inhibition of 95.83% followed by
Trichoderma sp. strain 2 and T. virens, with inhibition rates of 94.80% and 91.57%, respectively. While, in a pot
culture experiment T. virens and Trichoderma sp. strain 1 exhibited the highest disease control of 63.17% and
61.13%, respectively. However, these values were lower when compared to the fungicide tebuconazole 25 EC @
0.2%, which demonstrated the highest disease control of 75.65%. In another experiment on evaluation of
germination stimulants conducted under pot culture conditions, garlic waste @ 0.1% was found most effective
germination stimulant in reducing the viability of sclerotia of S. cepivorum to 2.50% after 3 months of inoculation
in comparison to 89.63% viability in control. Out of six crucifer crops residues tested, mustard and cabbage fresh
crop residues @ 10 g were found most effective with 95.13 and 94.83 per cent mycelial inhibition while in pot
culture experiment cauliflower and cabbage crop residues applied @ 10% w/w were found effective with 51.31
and 52.61 per cent disease incidence in comparison to 83.87% in control. In biointensive disease management,
treatment combination of garlic waste + T. virens, T. virens + crucifer residues were most effective with 38.03%
and 37.30% disease incidence in comparison to 91.97% in control. However, these rates were lower when
compared to the fungicide clove treatment with tebuconazole 25 EC @ 0.2%, which demonstrated the lowest
disease incidence 27.77%. Under field experiment, treatment combination comprised of garlic waste + crucifer
residues + T. virens and Trichoderma sp. strain 1 and tebuconazole 25 EC @ 0.2% were found most effective with
18.27% and 14.17% respectively, disease incidence compared to the control (62.50%). It can be concluded from
the present investigation that for the management of white rot of garlic (S. cepivorum), a treatment combination
involving the application of garlic waste @10g/m2 as a germination stimulant, applied 3-4 weeks before planting,
incorporation of crucifer residues, including cabbage and cauliflower @ 500g/m2, one week after the application of
garlic waste and following this, application of biocontrol agents T. virens and Trichoderma sp. strain 1 @ 500g/m2
(multiplied on wheat bran and saw dust medium), ten days after the addition of Brassica residues was found a good
approach providing a disease control up to 72%, which proved to be as effective as the application of chemical
fungicide tebuconazole (applied as seed/clove treatment @ 0.2%) with a disease control of 79%.