Effect of plant materials on the management of seedling wilt of mango (Mangifera indica) caused by Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc.

Fresh leaves of bhang (Cannabis sativa), mango (Mangifera indica) panjphuli (Lantana camara) and crushed dry straws of wheat and barley were used as soil amendments at 1 and 2 per cent (w/w) levels of concentration against wilt of mango seedlings caused by Fusarium solani (Mart) Sacc. The amendments were mixed in soil one month prior to pathogen inoculation (pre-inoculation) as well as alongwith the pathogen (simultaneous). All the treatments reduced pathogen population and wilt incidence at both the concentrations in either set of amendments. Cannabis leaves were, however, most effective as pre-inoculation amendments recording the least cfu count of 5.33 x 10³ g⁻¹ soil at 2% and 8.00 x 10³ g-1 soil at 1%, 90 days after pathogen inoculation, followed by barley straw, wheat straw, mango and Lantana leaves all of which were equally effective. The duration of decomposition of amendments was negatively correlated with pathogen population in the amended pot soil. Cannabis leaves gave the maximum disease control of 83.97 and 81.44% in pre-inoculated amendments at 2%, respectively and delayed the wilt symptoms by 9 days whereas in simultaneous amendments the disease symptoms were delayed by 3–5 days as compared control. All the treatments recorded better plant growth indices. Cannabis leaves recorded the maximum increase over control in shoot length (122.50%), root length (206.25%), shoot weight (195.25%) and root weight (318.18%) followed by barley and wheat straws.