Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

BIOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT OF DAMPING-OFF DISEASE OF CHILLI (CAPSICUM ANNUUM L.)

Misba Majeed, G. Hassan Mir, Mudasir Hassan and Fayaz A. Mohuiddin

Abstract

Damping-off disease is one of the important diseases of chilli (C.annuum L.) worldwide. Present investigation was carried out to assess the prevalence of the disease in Kashmir valley and its management by examining the potential of four locally isolated biocontrol agents, viz., Trichoderma viride, Trichoderma harzianum, Pseudomonas flourescens and Bacillus subtilis. The pathogen responsible for inciting the disease was identified as Pythium aphanidermatum. The per cent disease incidence varied from Anantnag (16.07%) to Srinagar (29.00%). Evaluation of efficacy of bio-control agents individually and in different combinations with a standard chemical Ridomil MZ under controlled pot studies revealed that all treatments were found to be significantly effective in reducing the damping-off in chilli over control with the combination of treatment viz., T. viride +T. harzianum +P. fluorescens + B. subtilis recorded minimum pre- and post- emergence dampingoff disease of 13.33 percent and 15.36 percent respectively. The combined application of T. viride + T. harzianum + P. flourescens +B. subtilis also recorded highest root length and shoot height of 11.28 and 35.15 cm over control. The maximum fruit yield was recorded in T. viride + T. harzianum +P. fluorescence +B. subtilis followed by Metalaxyl which resulted 65.52 (g of fruits plant-1) compared to 19.60 (g of fruits plant- 1) recorded in control.