BIO MANAGEMENT OF BOTRYTS ROT OF POST-HARVEST GUAVA FRUITS

Abstract

Guava is one of the delicious fruits and has a remarkable nutritional value. Botrytis cinerea is an airborne phytopathogen with a necrotrophic life attacking more than 200 crops globally and hard to control because of its diversity of ways of attack. Chemical fungicides cast harmful effects on the environment as well. Therefore, bio-management is a very useful and important strategy. In this research, disease samples were collected from different areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, disease incidence was calculated to be 38.9%, 23.0% and 28.8% from Sabzi Mandi, Dhok Kala Khan and Raja Bazar markets, respectively. Four plant extracts, i.e., Garlic, turmeric, ginger and Eucalyptus and an antagonist Trichoderma harzianum were used against B. cinerea. After treatment of plant extracts as well as B. cinerea, fruits were kept in sterilized boxes under plastic chamber. Temperatures and moisture level were maintained 65% at 18˚ to 23°C for optimum growth of pathogen. After 4 days, fruits were noticed for the effect of botanicals as well as biological agent in vivo and in vitro conditions. Garlic was found to be the most effective control and eucalyptus was the least effective with their specificity in antagonistic effect against B. cinerea. Biological control agent was found to be the least effective control measure against B. cinerea. This research shows the efficacy of garlic and Turmeric at 10% concentration and suggests that these may be used at domestic levels to prevent the gray mould.

Guava is one of the delicious fruits and has a remarkable nutritional value. Botrytis cinerea is an airborne phytopathogen with a necrotrophic life attacking more than 200 crops globally and hard to control because of its diversity of ways of attack. Chemical fungicides cast harmful effects on the environment as well. Therefore, bio-management is a very useful and important strategy. In this research, disease samples were collected from different areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, disease incidence was calculated to be 38.9%, 23.0% and 28.8% from Sabzi Mandi, Dhok Kala Khan and Raja Bazar markets, respectively. Four plant extracts, i.e., Garlic, turmeric, ginger and Eucalyptus and an antagonist Trichoderma harzianum were used against B. cinerea. After treatment of plant extracts as well as B. cinerea, fruits were kept in sterilized boxes under plastic chamber. Temperatures and moisture level were maintained 65% at 18˚ to 23°C for optimum growth of pathogen. After 4 days, fruits were noticed for the effect of botanicals as well as biological agent in vivo and in vitro conditions. Garlic was found to be the most effective control and eucalyptus was the least effective with their specificity in antagonistic effect against B. cinerea. Biological control agent was found to be the least effective control measure against B. cinerea. This research shows the efficacy of garlic and Turmeric at 10% concentration and suggests that these may be used at domestic levels to prevent the gray mould.