Pathogenic Potential of Macrophomina phaseolina on Solanum melongena and management through Integrated approach

Studies were made to determine pathogenic potential of Macrophomina phaseolina on Solanum melongena cv. Nageena with different initial inoculum levels. Several pesticides viz., carbofuran and topsin-M@ 2 kg a.i./ha each, botanical viz., Azadiracta indica seed. powder @ 1000 kg/ha and bio-agents viz., Trichoderma harzianum @ 1000 kg (10⁸ CFU/g culture)/ha, Pseudomonas flurescens @ 1000 kg (2 × 10⁸ CFU/g culture)/ha were also tested alone and @ half, one-third and one-fourth dose of each treatment when applied in combination of two, thre and four aditives, respectively against this pathogen. Results indicated that higehst root infecion (43.0%) was observed at highest inocula of 15.0 g mycelium including sorghum grains/kg soil. All the treatments alone and in combination significantly improved shoot-root fresh and dry weights, number of fruits and fruit weight and reduced % root infection. Combination of topsin-M + A. indica seed powder + T. harzianm + P. fluorescens showed highest reduction in disease development in comparison to other treatments.