Application of aqueous plant extracts and fungicides for management of Fusarium head blight of wheat

Efficacy of different plant extracts including Hibiscus rosa, Melia azedarach, and Cassic fistula at their concentrations 25%, 50%, and 100% per liter of potato dextrose agar medium and fungicides Alliete and Agro supporter at 1000 ppm, 2000 ppm and 4000 ppm concentrations were studied for the management of Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) of wheat. The experiment was laid out in completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Efficacies of the treatments were assessed based on colony diameter of the fungus (in vitro). Significant differences were recorded for the interactive effect of plant extracts and its different concentration on colony diameter. Melia azadarach seems good with minimum colony diameter (0.9017) with 41.83% inhibition over control at 50% concentration. However, minimum inhibition over control 10.59% with maximum colony diameter 1.3533 cm was recorded for Cassic fistula at 100% concentrations. Similarly, the interactive effect of fungicides and their concentrations were also significantly different. Maximum inhibition over control 91.79% with minimum colony diameter (0.3333 cm) was achieved for Agro supporter at 2000 ppm concentration followed by 90.89% inhibition over control and 0.3700cm colony diameter at 1000 ppm concentration of the same fungicide. However, minimum inhibition over control 66.71% with maximum colony diameter (1.3967cm) was recorded for Alliete at 1000 ppm concentrations. These findings highlight the potential of both the phytobiocides and fungicides for the control of Fusarium head blight of wheat.