Mustard Leaf Spot Disease Caused by Alternaria brassicae and their Biocontrol Khan Irfan1, Masood Anwar1, Ahmad Aquil2 1Department of Botany, R.C.S.M. Degree College, Mirzapur, Distt. Shahjahanpur, U.P. 2Department of Botany, G.F. College, Shahjahanpur-242001, U.P. *E-mail: research.org@rediffmail.com
Online published on 4 December, 2014. Abstract Rapeseed–mustard are attacked by a number of fungal pathogens causing severe loses in yield both in quality and quantity. During the last fifty years due to the high use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and fungicides in crop management destroys the nitrogen fixing microflora inhibiting the soil. Organic Agriculture is now becoming main stream all over the world. Now it has environmental sustainability at its core in addition to the concerns for healthy soil and healthy food. Soil nutrient supply system provides basic input for growth and development of plant. The demand for fertilizer also increases with increased production. Sometime biofertilizers, have been mooted as ecofriendly potential fertilizer source for maintenance of soil health and sustainable crop production system. Biofertilizers and organic manures are cost effective as well as environment friendly. They have a favourable influence on soil health and help in control of many plant pathogens like Alternaria brassicae. In the present study significant decrease in leaf spots was evident in all the mustard varieties (Pusa Bold, Rajat and Varuna) as treated by organic manure and microbial inoculation in comparison to untreated check. Top Keywords Alternaria brassicae, biocontrol, biofertilizers, neem cake. Top |