Potential application of botanicals, essential oils and natural products against Sarocladium oryzae

Inhibition of radial growth varied significantly with different botanicals/essential oils/natural products, with their concentrations. Of the botanicals, neem at 50% concentration was found most effective in inhibiting radial growth (56.6%), and reduction severity in glass house (49.0%). Essential oils in which, maximum inhiition of radial growth (73.6%), and reduction in disease severity (23.0%) was recorded at 250 ppm with citronella oil. Maximum inhiition of radial growth (30.6%) was recorded with buffalo urine at 50.0% which was followed by cow urine (20.6%). Neem, citronella and cow urine was found superior to other treatments in field conditions giving reduction in disease severity 11.2, 10.1 and 1.3% increase in grain yield/plant, grain yield/plot, 1000-grains weight and reduction in chaffiness as compared to check.