Bio Efficacy of Bio Agents and Botanicals against Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler Causing Leaf Spot of Pomegranate

Abstract

Pomegranate (Punica granatum L) is one of the important fruit crops grown in India. Leaf spot of pomegranate caused by Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler has becoming a major limiting factor in cultivation of pomegranate in some regions of India. The present investigation was carried out to test the efficacy of bio-agents and botanicals in vitro. All the seven fungal and two bacterial antagonists tested, exhibited significant mycelial growth inhibition of A. alternata. However, T. viride recorded significantly highest mycelial growth inhibition (86.85 %) of the test pathogen, followed by T. hamatum (82.04 %), A. niger (81.11 %). Among eleven botanicals tested, significantly highest average mycelial growth inhibition was recorded with A. sativum (75.56 %), followed by Z. officinale (73.64 %), A. indica (71.17 %).