Abstract

Helminthosporium leaf blight of barnyard millet is becoming a yield reduction factor and a detailed was undertaken at Centre of Excellence in Millets, Athiyandal for screening and field evaluation of the rhizosphere colonizing beneficial bacteria and fungicides against Helminthosporium leaf blight pathogen during 2022-2024. Among the treatments, fungicide azoxystrobin 23% SC @ 0.1% has recorded the minimum growth of the pathogen. All the bacterial isolates were also significantly reduced the mycelial growth of Helminthosporium crusgalli under in vitro and the isolate B. subtilis CMBS 3 recorded minimum growth of H. crusgalli among the biocontrol agents. The fungicides as well as biocontrol agents also significantly enhanced the shoot and root length and vigour index of barnyard millet under roll towel method. Among the treatments, azoxystrobin 23% SC @ 0.1% recorded maximum length of shoot and root and vigour index. The bacterial isolate B. subtilis CMBS 6 recorded the maximum length among the biocontrol agents. All the treatments were significantly reduced the disease incidence and increased the yield under field conditions and among the treatments, the spray of azoxystrobin 23% SC @ 0.1% at 40 days after sowing (DAS) recorded the lowest percent disease index (PDI) of leaf blight. However, the seed treatment with B. subtilis CEMBS 3 and spray of B. subtilis CEMBS 3 @ 0.5% at 20 and 40 DAS was also found to be better in reducing the PDI of leaf blight and increasing the yield among biocontrol agents.

Sharavanan, P.T., 2024. Management of Helminthosporium leaf blight of barnyard millet [Echinochloa frumentacea (Roxb.) Link]. Plant Health Archives, 2024, online first.