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Year: 2017, Issue: June
Botanical management of Lasiodiplodia theobromae causing die-back of Cycas.
Author:
M. R. Chakraborty
Keyword:
Botryodiplodia, Cycas, Lasiodiplodia, Plant extracts.
Cycas circinalis Linn. is dioecious gymnosperm belongs to the family Cycadaceae. Die-back disease of Cycas was noticed in and around Burdwan from 2011 and the causal organism was identified as Lasiodiplodia theobromae. The antifungal potential of ten locally available plants was evaluated against the die-back pathogen of Cycas. Different plant parts such as leaf, stem bulb, rhizome etc of these plants were selected and their efficacies were tested in in vitro experiments. Extract of Azadirachta leaf recorded maximum inhibition of growth of pathogen followed by Allium sativum bulb extract. Cassia tora leaves showed minimum inhibition. The inhibitory effect of these botanicals increased with increasing concentration. The result suggested that extract of Azadirachta could act as an effective antifungal agent which minimize the disease incidence in the present day eco-friendly farming system.
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