Comparative performance of plant extracts, biocontrol agents and fungicides on the diseases of sunflower

Abstract

A field study was conducted to find out comparative efficacy of plant extracts, biocontrol agents and chemical fungicides on leaf spot and rust. It was found that fungicide propiconazole 0.1% spray recorded the highest reduction in disease incidence of leaf spot (83.3%) and rust (79.5%) which was followed by neem oil spray 1% (62.8% and 64.2%). However, the biocontrol agents Pseudomonas fluorescens (42.31% and 44.43%) and pink pigmented facultative methylotroph (PPFM) (39.95 and 43.38%) performed slightly inferior when compared with neem oil and garlic extract. Lowest reduction in the disease incidence of leaf spot (18.2%) and rust (16.23%) were observed in Prosopis juliflora 10% extract. Similarly, when yield was estimated, highest yield was recorded in propiconazole 0.1% spray (1727 kg/ha) followed by neem oil spray 1% (1647kg/ha).