Search

Root rot pathogens pose a significant threat to cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) production, leading to substantial yield losses worldwide. Root rot disease caused by various soil borne pathogens significantly reduces the yield and quality of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) crops. Traditional chemical methods have limitations in terms of environmental safety and longterm efficacy. This study aims to evaluate the potential of biocontrol agents as an environmentally friendly and sustainable approach for managing root rot disease in cowpea. Two biocontrol agents, Trichoderma spp. and Aspergillus, were selected for assessment. The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with multiple replications under controlled conditions. The biocontrol agents were applied as seed treatments and plant growth parameters were measured and compared against control treatments. The results revealed that both Trichoderma spp. and Aspergillus effectively suppressed root rot disease development and significantly improved plant growth parameters. A maximum increase in the weight of shoot was observed due to Trichoderma harzianum followed by Trichoderma viride at various doses. All the biological agents acted more effectively at 10 to15 g dose. The study also reveals that the two Trichoderma species namely Trichoderma pseudokoningii and Trichoderma koningii did not visualize any significant difference in their efficacies when compared from each other. Additionally, the biocontrol agents showed no adverse effects on cowpea plants or the surrounding environment. This study suggests that the integration of biocontrol agents could offer a promising and sustainable strategy for managing root rot disease in cowpea, contributing to enhanced crop production and reduced reliance on chemical interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The experiment was conducted during rainy season of 2019 at the Organic Research Farm, Kargun Bundelkhand University, Jhansi (U.P.), India. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications comprising of 8 treatments of organic manures (T0-control, T1 - FYM-100%, T2 - Poultry manure-100%, T3 - Vermicompost -100%, T4 - FYM + Poultry manure -50% + 50%, T5 - Poultry manure + Vermicompost - 50%, T6 - Vermicompost + FYM - 50% + 50%, T7 - FYM + Vermicompost + Poultry manure - 1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3). The treatment T7 having FYM + VC + PM (1/3 + 1/3 + 1/3) resulted in maximum growth, yield and yield attributes of okra Number of fruits were 21.8/plant, fruit length 16.29 cm, fruit diameter 1.92 cm, fruit weight 16.81 g, fruit yield 360.4 g/plant and 20.02 t/ha. The maximum net income was upto Rs. 230497/ha with 3.29 B:C ratio. The second best treatment was T5 (PM 50% + VC 50%), giving net income upto Rs. 196371/ha with 2.83 B:C ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]