Efficacy of Trichoderma viride and Leaf Extracts against Southern Corn Leaf Blight (Bipolaris maydis) of Maize (Zea mays L.)

Southern corn leaf blight is one of the most serious disease-causing damage in entire country, the disease caused by Bipolaris maydis by producing lengthy, cigar structured ovoid and greyish lesions on lower leaf parts. The present investigation on “Evaluation of Trichoderma viride and leaf extracts on southern corn leaf blight (B. maydis) of maize (Zea mays L.)” was carried out at seven treatments were tested under field condition namely T. viride @ 5g/kg (ST) + Neem leaf extract @ 10% (FS), T.viride @ 5g/kg (ST) + Eucalyptus leaf extract @ 10% (FS), T. viride @ 5g/kg (ST) +Lantana camara @ 10% (FS) T.viride @ 5g/kg (ST) + Datura leaf extract @ 10% (FS), T. viride @5g/kg (ST) + Ashwagandha leaf extract @ 10% (FS), Propiconazole 25 EC @ 0.1%and untreated control in Randomized Block Design with three replications. Among all the treatments T. viride @ 5g/kg (ST) + Datura leaf extract @ 10% (FS) recorded minimum % disease intensity (25.2%) followed by T. viride @ 5g/kg (ST) + Neem leaf extract @ 10% (FS) (29.96%) , T.viride @ 5g/kg (ST) + Ashwagandha leaf extract @ 10% (FS) (31.24%), T. viride @ 5g/kg (ST) + Eucalyptus leaf extract @ 10% (FS) (34.62%), T. viride @ 5g/kg (ST) +Lantana camara @ 10% (FS) (38.14%) as compare to treated Propiconazole 25 EC @ 0.1% (23.4%) and untreated control (41.52%). T. viride + Datura leaf extract recorded significantly maximum plant height (168.54cm), number of leaves (21.33), cob length (18.46cm) and yield (38q/ha). Maximum cost benefit ratio was recorded in T. viride + Datura leaf extract (1:2.3) followed by T. viride + Neem leaf extract (1:2.2) as compared to treated check Propiconazole 25 EC (1:2.8) and untreated Control (1:1.7).