<div>Background: Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is the most important leguminous crop around the world. Fusarium wilt incited by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris is a major biotic constraint in chickpea production. The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy of plant extracts, fungicides and bio-agents against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris under in vitro and field conditions.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Plant extracts and fungicides were evaluated using poison food technique while antagonistic activity of bio-agents was studied using dual culture technique under in vitro conditions. Field trials were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of different plant extracts, fungicides and bio-agents against Fusarium wilt at Experimental Area of Plant Pathology, CCS HAU, Hisar. 
 
Result: Among thirteen plant extracts evaluated in vitro, neem leaves extract was found to be the most effective in inhibiting mycelial growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceris followed by datura leaves&rsquo; and garlic cloves&rsquo; extract which were statistically at par. Out of six plant extracts tested against Fusarium wilt under field conditions, seed treatment with extracts of neem and datura leaves at 10% concentration were most effective and curtailed the wilt incidence by 39.02 and 34.14% along with 7.55 and 6.83% enhanced seed yield. Among fungicides, carbendazim 50 WP was the most toxic fungicide in restricting colony diameter of the pathogen with the least EC50 and EC90 values of 1.28 and 15.24 ppm a.i. followed by azoxystrobin 23 SC with corresponding values of 1.57 and 49.16 ppm a.i., respectively. Seed treatment with carbendazim 50 WP and azoxystrobin 23 SC were superior over other treatments and provided 88.41 and 85.98% reduction in disease incidence along with 12.85 and 10.99% higher seed yield over control. Among the bio-agents tested, T. viride and T. harzianum gave the best results in suppressing the pathogen growth in vitro and in minimizing the disease incidence coupled with improvement in seed yield under field conditions. The present study has provided chemical and non-chemical measures for integrated management of chickpea wilt.</div>

<div>Construing the Role of Plant Extracts, Fungicides and Bio-agents in Ameliorating Fusarium Wilt Management in Chickpea</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">The five different bio-agents viz., Trichoderma viride, T. harzianum, T. virens, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Bacillus subtilis were evaluated against Pyricularia oryzae at four and eight days after incubation through dual culture technique. Among the five different bio-agents, highest per cent inhibition of mycelial growth of fungus was recorded in T. virens i.e. 67 per cent and 70 percent after four and eight days after incubation respectively with mean of 68.5 per cent followed by Trichoderma viride with the inhibition of 61 and 63 per cent respectively with mean of 62 per cent. The Pseudomonas fluorescens did not show any inhibition of mycelial growth of P. oryzae as the pathogen over grew the bio-agents.&nbsp;</div>

In vitro evaluation of bio-agents against Pyricularia oryzae (Cav.) causing rice blast disease

<div>Background: Rice root knot nematode (M. graminicola) is considered as a major threat in basmati rice. The main characteristic symptoms produced by M. graminicola are terminal hook shaped or spiral galls on the roots and other symptoms of damage include patches of stunted and yellowish plants. 
 
Methods: A field experiment was conducted in Kharif season of 2018 and 2019 at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut (UP) to test the efficacy of bio-agents against the root knot nematode. In this experiment, three bio-agents (Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas florescence) and one chemical (carbofuran) were tested in randomized block design with three replications. 
 
Result: It was observed that tested bio-agents and chemical significantly reduced the galls per plant in comparison to the control. At 30 and 60 day after transplanting, minimum (12.7 and 10.0 galls/plant) and (20.9 and 18.8 galls/plant) were recorded with Bacillus subtilis @ 20g/ M2 (2 x 108 cfu/g) during 2018 and 2019, respectively. In case of control, 52.7 and 62.5 galls/plant were recorded at 60 days after transplanting during both years. All the tested bio-agents were found effective in reducing the nematode population, increase the growth parameters and yield of basmati rice.</div>

Efficacy of Bio-agents in the Management of Root Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne graminicola) in Basmati Rice

<div>Background: In India, out of the total loss incurred by different insect pests of paddy, 25 to 30 per cent damage is done by stem borer alone. Many conventional insecticides though have been evaluated against stem borers, yet, most of the chemicals have failed to provide adequate control. Hence, the present study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of some newer molecules of insecticides and bio-control agents. 
 
Methods: Field trials were conducted to record the seasonal incidence and to evaluate the efficacy of insecticides and bio-control agents against the stem borer species in rice during Kharif and Rabi.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Field experiments revealed that during Kharif 2018, chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC was highly effective with 92.98 and 91.24 per cent reduction of stem borer infestation over control at vegetative and reproductive stages, respectively and recorded a high yield of 5720 kg/ha followed by spinetoram 11.7 SC with 83.16 and 80.82 per cent reduction of stem borer over control at vegetative and reproductive stages, respectively. During Rabi 2019, spinetoram 11.7 SC was highly effective with 92.36 and 93.73 per cent reduction of stem borer infestation over control at vegetative and reproductive stages respectively and recorded a high yield of 4570 kg/ ha, followed by chlorantraniliprole 18.5 SC with 84.60 and 91.48 per cent reduction of stem borer at vegetative and reproductive stages, respectively. The difference in the efficacy of insecticides during Khaif, 2018 and Rabi, 2019, might be due to shift in the species occurrence of stem borer, with a dominant occurrence of yellow stem borer (80.61%) in Kharif 2018 and pink stem borer (70.00%) in Rabi, 2019. The bio-control agent Trichogramma japonicum exerted minimum reduction of stem borer with a low grain yield of 3946.6 kg/ha.</div>

<div>Relative Abundance and Field Efficacy of Insecticides and Bio-control Agents Against Stem Borer Species in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Stem rot (Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc.) resistance in groundnut genotypes was due to activities of defense enzymes such as, catalase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase. Bio-agent, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens isolated from groundnut rhizosphere enhances the activities of defense enzymes through salicylic acid induced systemic resistance. In resistant genotypes (NRCGCS-19 and NRCGCS-319) higher activities of defense enzymes were recorded constitutively while in susceptible genotypes it was increased after bio-agent treatment. The activities of pathogenesis related-proteins viz., polygalacturonase and chitinase were registered in plants inoculated with S. rolfsii. Enzymes, catalase, peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase and chitinase showed strong negative correlation with disease severity index. However, the activity of polygalacturonase was directly related to disease severity index and inversely related to activity of chitinase. Hence, to obtain required levels of crop protection against S. rolfsii one has to grow either resistant genotypes or bio-agent treated susceptible genotypes.</div>

Biochemical basis of genotypic and bio-agent induced stem rot resistance&nbsp;in groundnut

<div>Background: Root rot of fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) caused by Rhizoctonia solani is an important constraint to the crop and causes significant economic losses in Rajasthan as well as India and fungicides are the major tool to overcome the disease incidence. As per environment and health issues and demand of organically produced fenugreek green leaves and seeds, it is a major concerned to control it by eco-friendly approaches. The current study aimed to find the most effective control measure of this dreaded disease through eco-friendly approaches. 
 
Methods: The present field-laboratory investigations were conducted during 2016-17 and 2017-18, to evaluate six plant extracts in vitro and in vivo, namely neem (Azadirachta indica), Alstonia (Alstonia scholaris), garlic (Allium sativum), datura (Datura stramonium), tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum), aak (Calotropis gigantea) and four bio-agents (Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens) in vivo through seed treatment alone and/or in combination for two consecutive years.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Our investigations in vitro with botanicals cleared that garlic clove extract was highly antimycotic to the pathogen (79.52%) followed by aak (62.48%) and neem extract (53.37%). Under field conditions, seed soaking with garlic clove extract (@10%) for 30 minutes was observed the most effective in reducing disease incidence (62.02%) and in increasing seed yield (65.35%) followed by aak (56.56% and 59.82%, respectively). In bio-agents, Trichoderma harzianum + Pseudomonas fluorescens (@ 3+3 g/kg seeds) was found superior in reducing disease incidence (66.81%) and in increasing seed yield (73.06%) and the next best was T. viride + P. fluorescens. The findings of this study can be utilized to manage the disease effectively and eco-friendly and also to obtain organic produce of the fenugreek.</div>

Management of Root Rot of Fenugreek Caused by Rhizoctonia solani using Plant Extracts and Bio-agents

<div>Finger millet (Eleusine coracana) is one of the major staple food in India. the crop yield and its quality is affected by numerous factors including pre and post-harvest pathogens, poor storage conditions, improper irrigation practices and others. Among different phytopathogens which attack the Pyricularia grisea affects major yield loss in finger millet and many researchers developed potential management strategies to combat against target pathogen. This review deals with the overall information available for the utilization of bio-agents, against blast pathogen. Various researchers reported utilization of bio-agents is an effective management strategy against blast pathogen also economical and environmentally safe. In this review we made an attempt to present detailed overview potential utilization of bio-agents in supressing Pyricularia grisea.</div>

Bio-agents for the Management of Blast Disease of Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana): A Brief Review

<div>Root rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani is an important disease of mothbean, under severe infestation it causes 58-68 % losses in grain yield. Three-year field experiments were conducted in hot arid conditions at Bikaner, Rajasthan during kharif seasons with the objective to find out suitable eco-friendly management strategies for root rot. The experiment was conducted on cv. RMO-225 with six different combination of Trichoderma harzianum + Pseudomonas fluorescens bio- agents viz, seed treatment, soil treatment and their combinations against the root rot disease and compared with an untreated control. Results of experiment showed that all the treatments brought significant decline in disease incidence and consequently enhancement of grain yield compared to control. The treatment having combination of Trichoderma harzianum + Pseudomonas fluorescens seed treatment (4+4 g/kg seed) + soil application of T. harzianum + P. fluorescens (1.25 +1.25 kg in 50 kg FYM for each/ha) had minimum (21.78 %) root rot incidence, highest grain yield (10.56 q /ha) and net return (Rs. 14,338/ha). The T. harzianum seed treatment 8 g/kg seed + soil application of T. harzianum 2.5kg in 100 kg FYM/ha &nbsp;was the next best treatment with &nbsp;25.56 per cent disease incidence and 9.42 q/ha of grain yield. These treatments can provide an effective, economical and eco- friendly management of root rot of mothbean for cultivators.</div>

<div>Management of Root Rot (Rhizoctonia solani) of Mothbean through Bio-Agents</div>

<div style="text-align:justify">Background: Root rot of clusterbean [Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (L.) Taub.] caused by Rhizoctonia solani is an important menace and causes significant economic losses in India and chemical pesticides are mostly used to overcome this problem. As per environment and health issues and demand of organic produce, the current study aimed to find the most effective control measure of this dreaded disease through eco-friendly approaches. 
 
Methods: The present field-laboratory investigations were conducted during 2018, to evaluate four bio-agents in vitro and in vivo (Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride, Bacillus subtilis and Pseudomonas fluorescens) and five organic amendments in vivo namely wool waste (@ 50 q/ ha), human hair (@ 50 q/ ha), mustard cake (@ 5 q/ ha), castor cake (@ 6 q/ ha) and neem cake (@ 5 q/ ha) were evaluated.&nbsp; 
 
Result: Our investigations in vitro with bio-agents depicted that T. harzianum was highly inhibitory (62.65 %) followed by T. viride (48.52%). Seed-cum-soil application (6g/kg seed + 6kg/ha) of T. harzianum was found most superior in reducing disease incidence (74.03%) followed by Trichoderma viride (69.83%) while in organic amendments, neem cake (5 q/ha) was found highly effective (70.07%) followed by castor cake (64.40%), mustard cake, wool waste and least effective was human hair. Though, wool waste and human hair least effective in disease management but preliminarily results indicated encouraging response with dual action, one in reducing disease and another in increasing plant biomass that open the future scope of further more sustainable experimentations. The findings of this study can be utilized to manage the disease effectively and eco-friendly.</div>

​Evaluation of Bio-control Agents and Organic Amendments for Managing Root Rot (Rhizoctonia solani) of Clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba)

Background: The present investigation was carried out on &ldquo;to quantify the storage span of bio primed seed using biocontrol agents and liquid biofertilizers in moong bean (Vigna radiata L.) was conducted at Seed testing laboratory, department of seed science and technology ANDUAT Kumarganj, Ayodhya, U.P. during 2023 and 2024. 
 
Methods: Seed biopriming generally refers to use of salutary microorganisms to influence germination potential. An experiment was carried out on two varieties of green gram i.e., NDM-1 (Collect from ANDUAT, Kumarganj, Ayodhya, U.P) and Sikha (collect from IIPR, Kanpur, U.P) and seed biopriming with two different biocontrol agents (Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma viridae) used in&nbsp; different concentration&nbsp; and two different liquid biofertilizers (Azospirillum and Phosphobacteria @20% respectively) following complete randomised design with four replication during two season (2023 and 2024) at different storage period i.e., 3, 6 and 9 months. The experiment comprised of seven biopriming along with hydropriming and control. Seed had been treated with control (T0), seeds soaked in distil water/hydropriming (T1); PF @ 25% (T2); PF @ 50% (T3); PF @ 75% (T4); TV @ 25% (T5); TV @ 50% (T6); TV @75% (T7); liquid ASP @ 20% (T8); liquid PB @ 20% (T9). Treated seed were grown with the help of between paper method at seed testing laboratory andUAT Kumarganj Ayodhya U.P. 
 
Result: A study on long term storage of bio primed seed revealed that seeds bio primed with T. viridae 50% for 6 hrs able to store better in cloth bag which registered 88.5% and 87% germination show V1&nbsp;and V2&nbsp;respectively, 91%&nbsp; and 90% seed viability recorded in V1&nbsp;and V2&nbsp;respectively at 9 months of storage. 
&nbsp;

Construing the Role of Plant Extracts, Fungicides and Bio-agents in Ameliorating Fusarium Wilt Management in Chickpea

In vitro evaluation of bio-agents against Pyricularia oryzae (Cav.) causing rice blast disease

Efficacy of Bio-agents in the Management of Root Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne graminicola) in Basmati Rice

Relative Abundance and Field Efficacy of Insecticides and Bio-control Agents Against Stem Borer Species in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Biochemical basis of genotypic and bio-agent induced stem rot resistance in groundnut

Management of Root Rot of Fenugreek Caused by Rhizoctonia solani using Plant Extracts and Bio-agents

Bio-agents for the Management of Blast Disease of Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana): A Brief Review

Management of Root Rot (Rhizoctonia solani) of Mothbean through Bio-Agents

Evaluation of Bio-control Agents and Organic Amendments for Managing Root Rot (Rhizoctonia solani) of Clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba)

Quantify the Storage Span of Bio Primed Seed using Biocontrol Agents and Liquid Biofertilizers in Moong Bean (Vigna radiata L.)