Management of leaf blotch (Taphrina maculans Butler) and leaf spot (Colletotrichum capsici (Syd.) Butler & Bisby) diseases in turmeric through ready-mix fungicides under field conditions

Abstract

Foliar diseases viz., leaf blotch (Taphrina maculans Butler) and leaf spot (Colletotrichum capsici (Syd.) Butler & Bisby) are widespread and highly destructive and become a major limiting factor for the production and quality of turmeric. The main importance of the study was to determine the efficacy of systemic and broad-spectrum fungicides such as Azoxystrobin, Trifloxystrobin (strobilurin), Difenoconazole, Tebuconazole, Flusilazole (triazole) and Carbendazim (benzimidazole) used as a ready-mix fungicide (strobilurin + triazole and benzimidazole + triazole) as foliar sprays at three different concentrations to manage leaf blotch and leaf spot under field conditions during 2019–20 and 2020–21. Significant differences (p < 0.05) between the treatments were determined by the use of Duncan’s multiple range test. Foliar spraying of ready-mix fungicide, Azoxystrobin 18.2% + Difenoconazole 11.4% SC, 0.03% (1 ml litre^–1 of water) along with a commercially available sticker, 0.1% (1 ml litre^–1 of water) first at the initiation of the disease (at 90 days of crop age) and subsequent two sprays at 15 days interval showed lowest leaf blotch (22.78%) and leaf spot (12.78%) intensity as compared to untreated control (84.45%, 43.89%) and exhibited highest fresh rhizome yield (46.69 t ha^–1) over untreated control (30.93 t ha^–1). This treatment can be employed as a chemical component in foliar disease management in turmeric.