Use of Neem leaves as soil amendment for the control of collar rot disease of chickpea

Abstract

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important grain legume that is attacked by the fungal pathogen, Sclerotium rolfsii, responsible for collar rot disease. In the present study, the pathogen was isolated from diseased chickpea seedlings and identified on molecular basis using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and β-tubulin markers. To control this pathogen, an in vivo study was carried out, using Neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) leaf dry biomass (1, 2, and 3%) as soil amendment. A broad-spectrum fungicide mancozeb was selected as a reference and the data regarding plant growth and mortality rates were calculated. In positive control, the highest seedling mortality (56%) was recorded in comparison to negative control (0%) after 30 days of sowing. In 1, 2, and 3% concentrations of A. indica dry leaf biomass, the seedling mortalities were 49, 38, and 38%, respectively. On the other hand, the mancozebtreated seedlings showed the lowest plant mortality rate (28%). Soil treatments with mancozeb as well as with 1 and 2% leaf biomass concentrations showed marked differences in root and shoot dry biomasses over positive control. In a laboratory bioassay, methanolic leaf extract of Neem of 0.5 to 3.5% concentrations reduced biomass of S. rolfsii by 86-90% over control. The present study concluded that 2% A. indica leaf amendment was the most useful concentration for management of collar rot disease of chickpea.

Efficacy of Thiophenate Methyl, Metalaxyl+mencozeb and Fosetyl-Al Fungicides for in Vitro Control of Sclerotium Rolfsii

“…This fungicide was also highly effective against C. lunata and P. expansum causing and 69-90% reduction in their in vitro growth due to a concentration range of 50 to 250 ppm (Butt et al, 2020;Hassan et al, 2020). Khan et al (2020) reported that mencozeb significantly reduced the incidence of collar rot disease caused by S. rolfsii. Similarly, Türkölmez and Dervis (2017) reported significant control of fungal diseases of apricot and cherry caused by Phytophthora palmivora, due to application metalaxyl+mencozeb.…”

“…Thus, the complete eradication of this devastating pathogen is very critical (Atri and Kaur, 2021). Different integrated management strategies such as cultural and biological control have been investigated before including chemical practices (Ali et al, 2020;Khan et al, 2020). The application of synthetic chemicals in agriculture is a common practice for the effective control of plant diseases.…”

Histopathological changes in root and stem of mungbean exposed to Macrophomina phaseolina and dry biomass of Chenopodium quinoa

“…After one‐week of pathogen inoculation, the pot soil was amended with C. quinoa whole plant dry biomass at different concentrations viz. 1%, 2% and 3% (wt/wt) except soil of the negative and the positive control treatments, and watered to leach down the allelochemicals from the added plant material (Khan et al, 2020). Five treatment viz.…”

Screening of yeast isolates for the biocontrol of Sclerotium rolfsii

“…S. rolfsii is a devastating soil borne fungal pathogen that causes diseases in more than 500 plant species including chickpea, chili, bell pepper, etc. (Javaid et al 2020;Khan et al 2020;Jabeen et al 2021). The continuous use of synthetic fungicides can cause various problems to plant animals and soils because these fungicides are difficult to degrade naturally (Dharmaputra et al 2016).…”