ECO-FRIENDLY MANAGEMENT OF MAJOR POTATO DISEASES

Abstract

An experiment was carried out in a potato field at Sirajdikhan, in Munshiganj district to identify diseases and evaluate bio-agents, botanicals and agrochemicals on the diseases suppression as well as agronomical performance of potato. Diseases were diagnosed at Disease Diagnostic Laboratory of the Department of Plant Pathology, Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207 from November 2020 to October 2021. Diseases namely late blight, early blight, bacterial wilt and potato leaf roll with causal organisms were identified. Four bio-control agents viz. Bacillus subtilis (Greenstree), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (Neutrase), Trichoderma harzianum (ACI Bamper Trico ) and combination of Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma sp (BioCoaa Microbial Agent WP); three botanicals viz. neem leaf extract, garlic bulb extract and turmeric powder; cow dung suspension; baking soda with commercial baking yeast and stable bleaching powder were used as treatments. The late blight incidence and severity were ranged 26.67%-86.67% and 32.67%-75.67%, respectively. The early blight incidence and severity were ranged 20.00%-73.33% and 21.00%-51.67%, respectively. The bacterial wilt incidence and severity were ranged 3.33%-43.33% and 2.5%-41.67%, respectively. The potato leaf roll incidence and severity were ranged 23.33%- 76.67% and 8.00%40.00%,

respectively. T. harzianum performed best against the late blight and early blight diseases, whereas B. subtillis showed superiority over others in managing the bacterial wilt. Neem leaf extract and Bacillus subtillis performed best against potato leaf roll incidence and severity, respectively whereas highest diseases incidence and severity were recorded in control. The maximum number of leaves per plant (18.67), height (59.53 cm) and weight of tuber (45.03g) were observed in B. subtillis treated plots. The highest number of tubers per hill (9.90) was observed in T. harzianum treated plots and the lowest in control. The results suggested that, the potato diseases could be managed eco-friendly and the treatments had also significant effect on the physiological growth and development of potato tubers.