Effect of Chitosan and Biocontrol Agents in the Management of Foot Rot in Finger Millet
Poojarani Malagitti *
Department of Agricultural Microbiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India.
N. Umashankar
Department of Agricultural Microbiology, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India.
H. R. Raveendra
Zonal Agricultural Research Station, VC Farm, Mandya, India.
Shivashankargouda Patil
Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Foot rot of Finger millet caused by Sclerotium rolfsii is a leading constraint for the farmers under both irrigated and rainfed conditions. For the management of this problem an eco-friendly approach was taken up using chitosan and biocontrol agents, as they are known to have spin-off benefit of activating innate defense mechanisms and promoting higher yields. To evaluate the effect of chitosan and bio-agents on foot rot disease in ragi crop, a field experiment was taken up with 15 different treatments in combination of different chitosan (0.15%, 0.20% and 0.25%) concentration and bio-control agents and also chitosan alone with control. Chitosan @ 0.25% with bio-control agents, was proven effective in reducing the percent disease incidence. The disease incidence was 1% @ 30DAT, 2.68% @ flowering and 6.84% @ maturity stages. Among 15 different treatments, treatment T15 also promoted higher productivity with 41.33g seed weight/5 ear head. The results revealed that Chiotosan @ 0.25% with biocontrol agents can be one of the eco-friendly management practice’s for the control of Sclerotium rolfsii in Finger millet.
Keywords: Chitosan, Foot ROT, biocontrol agents (Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma harzianum), Percent Disease Incidence (PDI)