Management of sunflower powdery mildew caused by Erysiphe cichoracearum

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is affected by various diseases. Among them, powdery mildew caused by Erysiphe cichoracearum DC is an important disease found throughout the year reducing the yield to considerable extent. In vitro and in vivo studies were taken to find out suitable fungicides to manage the powdery mildew disease. Amongst systemic fungicides difenconazole, penconazole, propiconazole, and triadimefon and in non systemic fungicides mancozeb and wettable sulphur inhibited maximum conidial germination. However result of the field experiment difenconazole recorded minimum PDI (25.00%) followed by myclobutanil (27.33%) and highest mean yield (13.87q/ha) and (14.06q/ha) were recorded in difenconazole and myclobutani, l respectively.