IDENTIFICATION AND IN VITRO CONTROL OF CANOLA SPOT DISEASE PATHOGEN

Abstract

Fungal spot disease is an emerging problem of canola, a major edible oil producing crop in Pakistan. During present study, Alternaria sp. was isolated and identified from the different infected tissues of diseased plant. Eighteen different commercially available fungicides; Defeater, Defeater Plus, Bloom, Wisdom, Trifort, Definite, Cordate, Flare, Benedict, Triton, Hiten, Pyranil, Flumax, Tebuconazole, Epic, Primacy, Vegard and Picoxystrobin were screened for their efficacy in controlling the identified pathogen. Maximum reduction of 90% in fungal growth was obtained by Wisdom, Benedict and Tebucanazole followed by Bloom, Flare and Flumax with 75-81% growth inhibition. Afterward by Epic, Defeater plus, Primacy and Picoxystrobin with upto 55 % fungal growth inhibition. Remaining fungicides caused 11-50% restricted fungal growth.