Assessment of integrated approaches for the management of sesame diseases

Field experiments were conducted for three years to manage soil and foliar diseases of sesame by integrated approaches using bioagents and fungicides. The experiment was conducted in different seasons for the management of Macrophomina root rot, stem blight and Alternaria capsule blight. Seed treatment with biocontrol agent Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf1) followed by foliar spray with Difenconazole @ 0.05% on 30 and 45 DAS reduced the root rot from 19.03 to 5.73%, stem blight from 48.67% to 20.68% and capsule blight from 41.33% to 16.41% and increased yield from 376 to 640.05 kg/ha with a B:C ratio of 2.13 in sesame. Thus, seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf1) followed by foliar spray with Difenconazole @ 0.05% on 30 and 45 DAS provided maximum protection from foliar and soil borne diseases in sesame with higher seed yield and B:C ratio, so that this may be recommended for the management of diseases in sesame.