Pathogen physiology and management of Brinjal collar rot caused by Sclerotium rolfsii

Potato sucrose agar and potato dextrose agar (90 mm) were found to be best for mycelial growth of the pathogen, whereas good sclerotia production was obtained in Kings’ B (180) and soybean leaf medium (120). The optimum mycelial growth was recorded at the temperature of 30^oC (89.33 mm) and pH 5.0 (84 mm) whereas, sclerotia production at 25^oC (181.66) and pH 7.0 (107). Trichoderma viride was found most effective in inhibiting both mycelial growth (81.2%) and sclerotia production (14.15) of Sclerotium rolfsii. Among the medicinal plants leaf extracts Acorus calamus showed the best inhibitory effect (25 mm & 2 sclerotia). Under mist chamber condition, the soil and seedling dip treatments with T. viride and summer ploughing found most effective to reduce the % disease incidence of collar of brinjal.