Annals of Biological Research
Abstract
Author(s): T Yella Goud, G Uma Devi, P Narayan Reddy and A Siva Sankar
Stem and pod rot of groundnut caused by the pathogen Sclerotium rolfsii, which has a wide host range and it affects
the yield losses up to 30-40% in groundnut in India. The persistence of infection caused by sclerotia of S. rolfsii
inciting disease stem and pod rot of groundnut following the incorporation of mustard (Brassica nigra) plant parts
into soil was examined through an experiment under green house conditions. Incorporation of the mustard plant
parts into the soil reduced the infectivity of S. rolfsii at every date at which inoculum was added to soil over the 13
day period of assessment. The effect of adding the mustard plant parts significantly reduced the disease incidence of
S. rolfsii. Initially the disease incidence was minimum (37.33%) at 0 day application of S. rolfsii immediately after
incorporation of mustard plant parts. Thereafter the disease incidence increased from 1st day of application of
pathogen to 5th day (46.66%, 54.00% and 65.33%), respectively. Later from 7th day onwards the disease incidence
reduced from 63.66% to 52.33% up to the 13th day.
