Vol. 12, Issue 12 (2023)

Author(s):
Arai MFN, Kadam JJ, Pawar HD, Joshi MS, Pethe UB, Divkar PM, Dhole GS and Arote RR

Abstract:
Fruit rot of pineapple caused by Penicillium funiculosum, Fusarium guttiforme and Aspergillus niger alone or in association is one of the most devastating disease which causes huge losses in the crop. In present investigation, six bio-agents viz., Trichoderma harzianum, T. longibrachiatum, T. koningii, Pseudomonas fluorescens,Bacillus subtilis and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and eight fungicides namely Carbendazim 50% WP, Tebuconazole 25.9% EC, Azoxystrobin 23% SC, Chlorothalonil 75% WP, Tebuconazole 50% + Trifloxystrobin 25% WG, Hexaconazole 4% +Zineb 68% (72% WP), Carbendazim 12% + Mancozeb 63% (75% WP) and Carboxin 37.5% + Thiram 37.5% (75% WP) were evaluated in vitro for their efficacy against pathogens causing fruit rot of pineapple. Among the bio-agents evaluated, Trichoderma longibrachiatum showed maximum (66.66%) inhibition of mycelial growth of Penicillium funiculosum. It also showed best antagonistic potential effect against Fusarium guttiforme with 87.77% mycelial growth inhibition followed by T. koningii (77.03%). Against Aspergillus niger, Pseudomonas fluorescens was found most effective in inhibiting mycelial growth by 67.77% followed by T. longibrachiatum (65.92%). Among the bio-agents used against all the three test pathogens, T. longibrachiatum showed maximum inhibition of mycelial growth with mean value of 73.45% followed by T. koningii with mean percent inhibition value of 64.68%. Amongst the fungicides evaluated, Tebuconazole 25.9% EC (0.1%), Tebuconazole 50% + Trifloxystrobin 25% WG (0.2%) and Hexaconazole 4% +Zineb 68% (72% WP) (0.1%) were found most significantly effective in inhibiting mycelial growth of all the three pathogens with 100 percent inhibition over control. Chlorothalonil 75% WP was least effective against all the three pathogens of pineapple fruit rot.