Management of groundnut rust through host plant resistance and fungicides

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is one of the most important oilseed crops which suffer from rust disease. Twenty two germplasm lines tested for their reactions against rust, mean % disease intensity was ranged from 11.06 to 83.14% under field condition. Most of the germplasm were found resistant against disease while four germplasm shown moderately resistant reactions. Nine fungicides were tested under field condition against rust disease, difenoconazole was the most effective fungicide recorded 33.74 per cent mean disease intensity, maximum disease control (62.93%) with highest groundnut pod yield (1307 kg/ha) and fodder (5173 kg/ha). The highest incremental cost benefit ratio of effective fungicides in controlling the disease was 1: 5.38 in hexaconazole and 1: 4.70 in difenoconazole.