COMPARATIVE EFFECT OF PLANT EXTRACT OF DATURA ALBA NEES AND CYNODON DACTYLON (L.) PERS., ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH MICROBIAL ANTAGONISTS FOR THE CONTROL OF ROOT ROT DISEASE OF COWPEA AND OKRA

Abstract

To investigate the effect of Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. and Datura alba Nees extracts used as soil drenching and seed of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) and okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) were treated with different antagonists like Trichoderma harzianum, Rhizobium meliloti and Paecilomyces variotii under screen house conditions. Results showed that Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid and Rhizoctonia solani Kühn were completely suppressed when D. alba extract was used as soil drenching and seeds of okra and cowpea were coated with P. variotii while Fusarium spp., was suppressed when C. dactylon extract was used in combination with P. variotii as seed treatment. Growth parameters were maximum when soil was drenched with D. alba and C. dactylon extracts and seeds were treated with P. variotii.