Harnessing Biocontrol and Fungicide Synergy for Efficacious Prophylaxis of Chilli Fusarium Wilt

The study assessed the efficacy of several fungicides and bio-control agents against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. capsici and the compatibility of fungicides with effective bio-control agents under in vitro conditions. Trichoderma harzianum exhibited the highest efficacy among bio-control agents, significantly reducing mycelial growth of the pathogen with 77.77% inhibition compared to the control, followed by Trichoderma asperellum and Pseudomonas fluorescens. Among fungicides, Carbendazim + mancozeb and tebuconazole + trifloxystrobin showed 100 % suppression of mycelial growth of the pathogen at both recommended and half of the recommended dose compared to the control. Propineb demonstrated moderate efficacy, allowing minimal mycelial inhibition of 79.26% and 72.92% of the pathogen at the recommended and half of the recommended dose, respectively. The compatible evaluation of fungicides with bio-control agents, found that Propineb was highly compatible with Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma asperellum, showing 100% growth at the half-recommended dose, while the other fungicides showed the least compatibility. Challenges of the study were compatibility issues between bio-agents and the most effective fungicides. The outcome of the study endorsed that amalgamating Trichoderma spp. with Propineb can be effective for management of the fusarium wilt in chili and encourages reducing the application dosage of propineb to a moiety, making it more eco-friendly.