Somasekhara, Y. M.BASAVARAJ MANAPPA ADDI2020-10-062020-10-062019-09-04Th-12457https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810152508Scab caused by Sphaceloma punicae Bitanc. is a serious fungal disease of pomegranate. The present investigation was undertaken to know the severity of scab disease in southern Karnataka, evaluation of fungicides, bio-agents and botanicals against S. punicae. Survey revealed that, the maximum per cent disease index (PDI) of scab was observed in Tipaturu (15.56) and Kanakapura (13.65) during the survey. The pathogen was identified as Sphaceloma punicae based on pathogenicity test and morphological characterization viz., septate mycelium, conidia were 2.9–4.8 × 10.2–12.0 μm in size, ovoid to sub-cylindrical, unicellular and hyaline in nature. The maximum radial growth of pathogen (90.00 mm) was observed on oat meal agar followed by potato dextrose agar (86.43 mm). The temperature of 30 °C and pH 6.5 were found ideal for growth of the pathogen. Under in-vitro studies, the systemic fungicides viz., tebuconazole, propiconazole, thiophanate methyl and carbendazim along with combi-products viz., azoxystrobin + mancozeb, hexaconazole + zineb, fenamidone + mancozeb, and carbendazim + mancozeb at 250, 500 and 1000 ppm concentration showed completely inhibited the growth of pathogen. The contact fungicides propineb and mancozeb at 1000 ppm recorded complete inhibition of the pathogen. Among the nine plant extracts, maximum mycelial inhibition (73.63 %) was observed in garlic extract. Among the six fungal bio-agents, Trichoderma harzianum (Th-14) showed 83.15 per cent inhibition of pathogen. Whereas the bacterial bio-agent Bacillus amyloliquefaciens showed maximum mycelial inhibition of 64.60 per cent. The above fungicides can be exploited for the management of scab of pomegranate.EnglishThesis