Management of newly emerging bacterial seed and boll rot of cotton with antibiotics, homeopathic products and plant extracts.

Bacterial seed and boll rot of cotton is a newly emerging threat to cotton in Pakistan. Three antibiotics (Streptomycin sulphate, Oxytetracycline and Agrimycin-100) were evaluated at 600ppm, 800ppm and 1000ppm against colony growth of Pantoea agglomerans. Efficacy of three homeopathic products (Tuberculinum aviara 30CH, Influenzinum 30CH and Hepatitus 30CH) was assessed at 5, 10 and 15% concentration in lab conditions by inhibition zone technique. Extracts of Datura metel, Azadirachta indica and Calotropis gigantea were evaluated at 6%, 8% and 10% concentrations. Streptomycin sulphate was the most significant (1.10 cm) antibiotic product. At 15%, Tuberculinum aviara significantly retarded (0.63 cm) bacteria colony diameter after 72 h. Datura metel was the most significant to inhibit bacterial colony (0.73 cm) at 15% concentration. In field conditions, treatments proved effective in vitro were assessed on four cotton varieties (FH-941, FH-942, MNH-886 and FH-114). Streptomycin sulphate was the most significant with respect to Tuberculinum aviara and Datura metel, controlling 45.81% disease severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]