EFFECT OF PLANT EXTRACT AND BIO-FUNGICIDE ON SEEDBORNE FUNGI AND INCIDENCE OF BLACK POINT AND BIPOLARIS LEAF BLIGHT OF WHEAT

Abstract

A laboratory and a pot experiment were conducted to determine the effective and environment friendly measure to control of seed-borne fungi and Bipolaris leaf blight and black point disease of wheat. Seed treatment and foliar spray was applied with three plant extract viz. allamanda leaf, garlic and thankuni at the ratio of 1:1 and a biocontrol agent namely BAU Bio-fungicide at the rate of 2.0%. Foliar spray was applied at two times first at heading and second at grain formation stages of plant growth. Seed treatment with plant extract and bio-fungicide inhibit seed borne fungal growth of Bipolaris sorokiniana, Curvularia sp., Alternaria sp., Fusarium sp. and Aspergillus sp. and increased 7-21% seed germination. But maximum inhibition of fungal growth as well as increased seed germination and healthy seedlings was found when seeds were treated with BAU-Biofungicide followed by allamanda leaf extract. Severity of Bipolaris leaf blight on flag leaf and flag-1 leaf was significantly reduced when seed treatment and foliar spray applied to wheat plant. Maximum decreased in disease severity and black pointed seed and increased in grain yield and seed quality was found when seeds were treated with Bio-fungicide and plants were sprayed with the fungicide. Among the plant extract applied in the experiment allamanda leaf extract gave the better result to increasing grain yield and apparently healthy seeds moreover decreasing undersized and black point infected seed.