Efficacy of Fungicides against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Ciceri: An In vitro Study

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the second most important crop in the world after dry bean. It belongs to the family Fabaceae. A large number of diseases have been reported on chickpea among them wilt is caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri is the most important economic disease. The evaluation of systemic, non-systemic and combined fungicides against wilt pathogen of chickpea in vitro by poison food technique was carried out to know the effective fungicide against F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceri. The systemic fungicides viz., azoxystrobin, tebuconazole, and thiophanate- methyl was tested at 250, 500 and 750 ppm, among them cent per cent growth inhibition was observed with the tebuconazole 25.9 EC followed by thiophanate- methyl 70 WP (79.04%) whereas azoxystrobin 23 SC (55.41%) observed lowest per cent growth inhibition. The non-systemic fungicides viz., chlorothalonil, propineb, and copper oxychloride was tested at 1000, 1500 and 2000 ppm, among them highest mean per cent growth inhibition was observed with the copper oxychloride 50 WP (74.50%) followed by chlorothalonil 75 WP (58.10%) whereas propineb 70 WP (47.72%) observed lowest per cent growth inhibition. The combined fungicides viz., tebuconazole 50% + trifloxystrobin 63% WP, carboxin 37.5% + thiram 37.5% WS and metiram 55% + pyraclostrobin 5% WG was tested at 500, 1000 and 1500 ppm, among them cent per cent growth inhibition was observed with the tebuconazole 50 %+ trifloxystrobin 63% WP followed by carboxin 37.5% + thiram 37.5% WS (78.21%) whereas metiram 55% + pyraclostrobin 5% WG (62.00%) observed lowest.