Bioefficay of fungicides against karnal bunt and flag smut of wheat in himachal pradesh

Karnal bunt (Neovossia indica (Mitra) Mundkur) and flag smut (Urocystis agropyri (Preuss) A.A. Fisch. Waldh.) are the most important seed and soil-borne diseases of the wheat in Himachal Pradesh. In this study, different concentrations of tebuconazole 60 FS along with tebuconazole 2% DS, carboxin and carbendazim were evaluated for the management of Karnal bunt and flag smut as seed treatment. Maximum average disease control of Karnal bunt (74.20%) and flag smut (94.75%) was achieved with tebuconazole (Raxil 060 FS) @ 0.250 and 0.333 ml/kg seed, respectively with a 22.95 per cent and 23.20 per cent average increase in yield over control, respectively. It was followed by tebuconazole (Raxil 060 FS) @ 0.333 ml/kg seed and tebuconazole 2% DS @ 1g/kg seed for the control of Karnal bunt and flag smut diseases, respectively. However, minimum average disease control was obtained through carbendazim50 WP @ 2 g/kg seed both in Karnal bunt (59.50%) and flag smut (74.00%) diseases during both the cropping seasons and followed by carboxin 75 WP @ 2 g/kg seed. No phytotoxic effect of tebuconazole 060 FS up to 1.332 ml/kg seed was observed at any stage of the crop from germination to maturity. Thus, tebuconazole (Raxil 060 FS) @ 0.250 and 0.333 ml/kg seed was found most effective as compared to other fungicides tested for the management of Karnal bunt and flag smut disease of wheat along with significant increase in yield.