Studies on Management of Sclerotinia Blight (Sclerotinia Sclerotiorum) of Pea

Abstract

Pulses arc an indispensable source of supplementary protein to daily diet for predominantly vegetarian population of India. Pulses contain more calcium and iron than cereals and also provide energy, essential tninerals and vitamins. Among pulses, pea (Pistan sativun1 L.) is an itnportant multipurpose crop which is frost-hardy, cool-season, nutritious leguminous vegetable that is widely cultivated throughout the world. It is a rich source of protein (21-25%), amino acids, carbohydrate, vita1nins A and C, calcium, phosphorus and small quantity of iron. Pea crop is affected by various fungal as well as bacterial diseases. Among which Sclerotinia blight is a serious disease of pea caused by Sclerolinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, which may cause 5 to 40 o/o yield loss. The symptoms of disease may appear as brown, sunken, water soaked lesions on the infected part of plant. Later white, fluffy cottony myceliutn covers the affected part of plants and cause decaying. This cottony myceliurn produces numerous sclerotia inside or outside of stems and pods. Nine fungicides were tested in vitro against Sclerotinia sclerotioruffl, out of those Carbendazim, Propiconazole, 1-lexaconazole, Tebuconazole + Trifloxystrobin , l~ebuconazole, Carbendazim + Mancozeb and Baylaton + Triadimefon were found to inhibit the mycelial growth of pathogen completely at I 00 ppm, 200 ppn1 and 500 ppm concentration. Inhibitory effect of cow urine, cow dung and cow dung rnanure on the rnycelial and sclerotial growth of l')c!erolinia sc/eroliorzun were tested in-vitro. The CUPDA, CDUPDA, ClJMPDA and CUDMP.DA were found to be effective in inhibiting the rnycelia growth and sclerotia) germination of pathogen completely as cornparison to CDPDA, CMDPDA \Vith I .47 o/o, 0 % growth inhibition from myceliurn bit and 3.03 %, 1.90 °/o inhibition of n1ycelial gro"vth from sclerotia at 96 hours and 144 hours respectively. It was found that cow urine inhibit the growth of pathogen completely at all concentration of cow urine amen~~d PDA i.~. SO %; 30 %, 25 %, 20 %, 10 % and 5 %. In-vivo experirnent, l 'ebuconazole + 1 nfloxystrobtn (Nattvo) was most effective in reducing the infection and increasing the number of pod.s and yield .of plant, followed by T9 (Soil application or cow dung manure+ Trichoder~na .harztamtm + ~ohar. spray of Propiconazole). Whereas CO\·V dung manur~:; enhanced the infectiOn and seventy of disease "vhich leads to reduction in the nurnber of pods and yield of plant.