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Indian Journal of Science and Technology, Vol 12(7), DOI: 10.17485/ijst/2019/v12i7/141007, February 2019
ISSN (Print) : 0974-6846
ISSN (Online) : 0974-5645
Ecacy of Dierent Fungicides and Bio Control
Agents Against Fusarium oxysporum,
Causal Agent of Potato Dry Rot
Shehbaz Jawed1, Anum Mehmood2, Arif Hussain2, Zaheer Ahmed Jatoi2,
Aftab Ali Kubar2, Mir Muhammad Nizamani2 and Asif Ali Kaleri3
1Department of Plant Pathology Faculty of Crop Protection, Sindh Agriculture University Tando jam,
Pakistan; shahbazjawed18@gmail.com
2Hainan Key Laboratory for Sustainable Utilization of Tropical Bioresources, Institute of Tropical Agriculture and
Forestry, Hainan University, Haikou, China; gooddranam@yahoo.com, jatoizaheer@gmail.com,
kubar.aftabali@gmail.com, mirmohammadnizamani@outlook.com, hussainarifkaleri@outlook.com
3Department of Agronomy Faculty of Crop Protection, Sindh Agriculture University Tando jam,
Pakistan; asifalikaleri2013@gmail.com
Keywords: Bio-Control, Dry Rot, Fungicides, Fusarium oxysporum, Potato
Abstract
Objectives: To study the prevalence of potato dry rot in different vegetables markets. To evaluate the effect of Fusarium
oxysporum F.
oxysporum. Methods/Statistical Analysis
Findings: Antagonistic organisms
F. oxysporumF. oxysporum
P. varioti (15.5 mm) and Paecilomyces lilacinus
T. harzianum
and Trichoderma polysporumF. oxysporum
F. oxysporum
Paecilomyces
TrichodermaF. oxysporum
F. oxysporum.
Reduction in colony diameter of F. oxysporumApplication/
Improvements:
1. Introduction
Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) belongs to the family sola-
naceae that includes other 2000 plant species. Tomato
(Lycopersicum esculentum L.), sweet pepper (Capsicum
annuum L.), eggplant (Solanum melongena var. esculentum
L.), tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.), and petunia (Petunia
hybrid L.) also belongs to this family. Potato ranks fourth
aer wheat, rice and maize in the list of most important
staple crop of the world.
It is a good source of iron while their vitamin C con-
tents help in iron absorption. Its consumption is increas-
ing because it is not only cheap but also a rich source of
carbohydrates, starch and contributed a lot in the reduc-
tion of food shortage globally1.
Indian Journal of Science and Technology
Vol 12 (7) | February 2019 | www.indjst.org
2
Ecacy of Dierent Fungicides and Bio Control Agents Against Fusarium oxysporum, Causal Agent of Potato Dry Rot
e losses caused by diseases and insects constitute
the major constraints that faced by the potato growers
worldwide. Apart from the eld diseases, postharvest dis-
eases caused considerable economic losses in the quality
and quantity of the produced during transport, storage
and marketing2. Among the diseases the most impor-
tant wide spread and important caused by pathogenic
fungi, aecting tubers and vegetative parts3. A number
of eld and storage disease of potatoes that reduces the
quantity and market value are Black scurf4, Late blight
(Phytophthora infestans)5, Early blight (Alternaria solani)6,
Powdery scab (Spongospora subterrannea)7, Wilt disease
(Verticillium albo-atrum)8, Fusarium dry rot (Fusarium
spp.), Silver scurf (Helminthosporium solani), Gangerene
(Phoma exigua)9, Pink rot (Phytophthora erythroseptica)
and Watery wound rot (Pythium ultimum and P. debarya-
num)10.
One of the main fungal diseases that attack potato is
Fusarium dry rot. is problem persists throughout the
world. ere are many species of Fusarium reported to
cause dry rot of potato worldwide3. Fusarium dry rot
caused by many Fusarium species like F. coeruleum,
F. eumartii, F. oxysporum, F. sulphureum and F. s a m b u-
cinum11. It has been estimated that dry rot caused by
Fusarium spp. caused 6 to 25% yield losses12. Adding to
this yield loss, Fusarium spp. are also well known for the
toxins production in attacked host and responsible for
mycotoxicoses of humans and animals13,14. One of the
toxins produced by the Fusarium spp. which because dry
rots is trichothecene. is toxin is a serious inhibitor of
protein synthesis in prokaryote and can cause serious
health troubles15.
In Turkey, four Fusarium spp. namely F. sambuci-
num, F. s o l ani, F. culmorum and F. oxysporum are found
to be common causes of dry rot of potatoes and have the
potential for complete destruction of potatoes in storage2.
Eighteen percent of tubers arriving at New York markets
from 1972-1980 showed symptoms of Fusarium dry rot16.
While as high as 60% of graded tubers in Scotland was
aected by dry rot17.
Symptoms of Fusarium dry rot include minute brown
areas on the surface of tubers18,19, the infected tubers
appear wrinkled and rolled tissues from the surface, and
rot also creates depressions/ cavity in the surface of the
tuber. ese aected tissues turn brown, grey or black.
When symptoms advances spore masses of blue, white,
yellow, purple, black or pink colour may also observe.
Seed tubers and potatoes for consumption may not com-
pletely. Storage tuber mummies and ultimately only
the dry shell persists20,21. Mode of spread is by planting
infected tubers or by contaminated soil, as the pathogen is
soil borne, airborne or carried in plant residue22.
Biological control of dry rot of potato using dierent
antagonists only evaluated for experimental purposes23.
Antagonistic organisms like Trichoderma spp. and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa have been found to be eective
management strategy24.
Fungicide like Maxim MZ, Tops MZ, and Moncoat
MZ may be used for the ecient control of potato dry
rot. Many chemicals, including iabendazole, may be
applied to seed tubers before sowing25. Continuous use of
same fungicide is the main factor to develop resistance
for it as documented in potato dry rot pathogen against
iabendazole11.
Indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides to control
various pests and pathogenic microorganisms of crops
plants is causing health hazard both in terrestrial and
aquatic lives through their residual toxicity26. Much atten-
tion is being focused on the alternative methods of pest
control27.
Keeping in view the importance of potato dry rot
recent studies carried out to determine the prevalence of
potato dry rot at study area and to evaluate the ecacy
of dierent antagonistic agents and fungicides against F.
oxysporum causal agent of dry rot of potato.
2. Materials and Methods
2.1 Survey and Sampling of Diseased
Specimen
Survey was done from dierent vegetable markets of
Hyderabad region. Potatoes showing dry rot symptoms
were collected and brought to Plant Pathology laboratory.
Incidence of dry rot of potatoes was also recorded with
help of following formula:
( )
100
%
Number of potatoes with dry rot
Incidence Total number of potatoes observed
= ×
2.2 Isolation and Identication of Causal
Fungus
e isolation and identication of fungi was carried out as
described by2 as follows; tubers were washed under run-
ning tap water to remove the mud and then air dried. A 6
Indian Journal of Science and Technology 3
Vol 12 (7) | February 2019 | www.indjst.org
Shehbaz Jawed, Anum Mehmood, Arif Hussain, Zaheer Ahmed Jatoi, Aftab Ali Kubar, Mir Muhammad Nizamani and Asif Ali Kaleri
mm diameter and 5 mm deep pieces were excised with a
cork borer from the aected area of each tuber. e tubers
sections were surface sterilized in 5% commercial bleach
solution for 1 min. Tuber sections were dried on sterilized
paper and plated on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA). Aer
5 days of incubation at room temperature under natural
light, predominantly isolated fungal colonies developing
from the plant material were identied by microscopic
observations with the help of literature.
Pure culture of fungus was maintained by periodi-
cal transfer on PDA plates. Small colony from corner of
the fungal growth was picked up with help of inoculation
needle and placed on the surface of new freshly prepared
PDA plates. Only one disc transferred per PDA plate and
incubated at 25°C resulting pure culture were multiplied
periodically on new media throughout the study.
2.3 Pathogenicity Test of Causal Pathogen
Pathogenicity test of causal pathogen was carried out for
the conrmation of disease-causing fungus under in-vitro
conditions to prove the Koch’s postulates. e procedure
was performed according to Peters28. e healthy potato
tubers of variety “Diamond” were used in this experi-
ment. Tubers appearing uniform in size (100-120 g) were
selected for this test. First tubers were washed to remove
the surface soil and sterilized by dipping them in 80%
solution of ethanol and then air dried. en the tubers
wounded with a cork borer with adiameter of 5 mm to
a depth of 5 mm28,29. An agar plug (5 mm diameter) con-
taining active growth of F. oxysporum isolates cut from
the margin of a 3-day-old cultures grown on PDA and
placed into the wound, which was subsequently sealed
with the excised plug of tuber tissue. All the wounded
potato tubers were wrapped in polyethylene bags and
incubated in the dark at 20°C for 3 weeks. As acontrol,
tubers were wounded with the help of cork borer like it’s
done in treatment then inoculated with only an agar plug
without fungus. Aer three weeks data were recorded on
the basis of symptoms development and lesion area were
measured in cm with the help of scale.
2.4 Evaluation of Dierent Bio-Control
Agents
Dierent biocontrol agents were obtained From
Agriculture Research Institute, Tandojam to evalu-
ate against Fusarium dry rot of potato by dual cul-
ture method. Briey PDA plates were prepared and
inoculated by F. oxysporum and selected biocontrol agent
aseptically. Both of them were placed at the periphery
of Petri plate at equidistance of 2 to 3 cm in opposite
direction. Petri plates inoculated with pathogen only
served as control. All the plates were incubated at 25°C
in incubators. Plates were observed regularly and data on
colony growth in cm were recorded with the help of scale
and antagonistic nature of the bio agent was recorded.
Resulting data on colony diameter was calculated for
percent inhibition over control with the help of formula
given below:
( )
100
%
CT
Inhibition C
−
= ×
Whereas, C= Growth of pathogen in control plates;
T=Growth of pathogen in dual culture plates.
After prolonged storage interactions were assessed
using a key based on observations of Dickinson and
Boardman30 as given below:
A. Mutually intermingling growth where both fungi
grew into one another without any microscopic signs
of interaction.
Bi. Intermingling growth where the fungus being
observed was growing into the opposed fungus either
above or below its colony.
Bii. Intermingling growth where the fungus under
observation has ceased growth and is overgrown by
another colony.
C. Slight inhibition where the fungus approach each
other until almost in contact and a narrow demarca-
tion line, 0.1-2 mm, between the two colonies clearly
visible.
D. Mutual inhibition at a distance of > 2 mm.
2.5 Ecacy of Dierent Fungicides
e ecacy of dierent fungicides for controlling F. oxy-
sporum responsible for postharvest infection was car-
ried out with ten dierent fungicides. For this purpose,
Carbendzim, Topsin-M, Mancozeb, Antracol, Gemstar,
Scholar, Nativo, Tilt, Score and Radomil were selected
and evaluated with four dierent doses, i.e., 1 ppm, 10
ppm, 100 ppm, 1000 ppm by food poisoning method
under in-vitro conditions. e details of fungicides with
their company name, active ingredients and brand name
are given in Table 1.
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Ecacy of Dierent Fungicides and Bio Control Agents Against Fusarium oxysporum, Causal Agent of Potato Dry Rot
Concentrations given above were prepared by serial
dilution method. e required quantity of fungicide
was mixed in the medium aer sterilization of media.
Medium without fungicide were served as control. Before
pouring the media were also amended with streptomycin
sulphate at 5 ml/L and penicillin at 106 units/L to avoid
bacterial contamination. Media without fungicide served
as control. Equal volume of media i.e., about 15 ml were
poured in each Petri dish and inoculated in the centre
with a 5 mm disk of F. oxysporum aer solidication
of media. ese plates were incubated as and data were
recorded as described above. Growth was recorded daily
till any of the plate found full of the growth of F. oxyspo-
rum. Finally resulting data was calculated for inhibition
percent because of fungicide with the help of formula as
follows:
( )
100
%
CT
Inhibition C
−
= ×
Whereas; C = Colony diameter of pathogen in con-
trol plates; T = Colony diameter of pathogen in plates
amended with fungicide (treatment plate).
3. Results
3.1 Prevalence of Potato Dry Rot
Potatoes showing dry rot symptoms were collected from
dierent markets (Figure 1). Hundred potatoes were ran-
domly examined from each store. e disease found to
prevail in 70% of the stored visited with a very low inci-
dence. Average disease incidences of dry rot of potatoes
were recorded 3.4%. e isolation and identication
of fungi was carried out by tissue isolation methods.
Isolations were made with aected potatoes. Total 100
sections were placed over the surface of PDA medium.
Aer incubation of 5 days at 25°C fungal colonies iden-
tied by microscopic observations with the help of
literature as Fusarium spp. and Aspergillus spp. F. oxys-
porum was appeared as most predominant fungus with
59% frequency (Table 2). Pure cultures of F. oxysporum
were maintained on PDA medium and were multiplied
periodically on new media throughout the study. On
PDA medium it produced white aerial mycelia became
tinged with light purple. From backside of plates dark
purple and produces abounded micro and macro conidia,
Microconidia were oval to ellipsoid cylindrical while
macroconidia long fusoid to falcate in shape with 3 or 4
septa (Figure 2). ese morphological characteristics are
similar those described19,31.
Table 1. List of the fungicides used in the experiments
Brand Name Company Name Active ingredient
Topsin-M Arysta iophanate Methyl 70 WP
Mancozeb FMC Dithiocarbamates 75% WP
Antracol Bayer Propineb 70% WP
Carbendazim Clear Carbendazim 50 WP
Ridomil Sygenta Metaxyl 68 WP
Score Sygenta Dinaconazole 250 EC
Tilt Sygenta Propiconazole 250 EC
Nativo Bayer (Tebuconazole+Trioxystobin)75WG
Scholar Sygenta Fludioxonil 230 SC
Gemstar Sun Crop Azoxystrobin 250 EC
Figure 1. Potato tubers showing dry rot disease
symptoms.
Indian Journal of Science and Technology 5
Vol 12 (7) | February 2019 | www.indjst.org
Shehbaz Jawed, Anum Mehmood, Arif Hussain, Zaheer Ahmed Jatoi, Aftab Ali Kubar, Mir Muhammad Nizamani and Asif Ali Kaleri
ve dierent doses, i.e., 1, 10, 100, 1000 and 10000 ppm
by Food poisoning method. All concentrations of fungi-
cides reduced the growth of F. oxysporum as compared to
control. However, higher concentrations were more eec-
tive than the lower ones. e growth of the test pathogen
gradually decreased with increasing concentrations. All
the fungicide at 10000 ppm completely stops the growth
of test pathogen.
Score (63.80 mm), followed by Carbendazim (69.33
mm), Gemstar (70.5 mm) and Mancozeb (70.80 mm) at
produces the lowest growth as compare to other fungi-
cides at the same dose. Topsin-M, followed by Scholar and
Score at 10 ppm produces 29.16 mm, 45.66 mm and 53.83
mm respectively, aer seven days of incubation at 28°C as
compared to the 89.66 mm growth at control. Topsin-M
(9.83 mm and 2.16 mm) followed by Mancozeb (21.50
mm and 5.33 mm) and Scholar (25.00 mm and 6.00 mm)
produces lowest growth respectively at 100 and 100 ppm
as compare to other fungicide at the same dose (Figure 4).
IC50 values for each fungicide were also calculated.
It greatly varied for each fungicide. Lowest IC50 value
was found in case of Topsin-M, Scholar, Antracol and
Radomil i.e., 8.65 ppm, 16.99 ppm, 36.45 ppm and 46.89
ppm, respectively. Whereas, highest IC50 value was found
in Nativo followed by Tilt and Gemstar i.e., 240.36, 206.32
and 109.96, respectively (Figure 5 and 6).
3.3 Eect of Dierent Bio-Control Agents on
the Growth of F. oxysporum
Four dierent bio-control agents i.e. Paecilomyces lilaci-
nus, Trichoderma harzianum, T. polysporum and P. varioti
were obtained from ARI Tandojam and evaluated against
3.2 Pathogenicity Test F. oxysporum on
Potato Tubers
Pathogenicity test of F. oxysporum was carried out for the
conrmation of disease-causing fungus under in-vitro
conditions to prove the Koch’s postulates. Aer 3-week
incubation, the inoculated potatoes showed wrinkled and
rotted symptoms of typical dry rot of potato. e rotted
areas of the potatoes were brown, grey, or black and the
rot creates depressions in the surface of the tuber. White
fungal growth was also apparent on rotted areas. Lesion
area aer 20 days of inoculation was extended up to
27.10mm.
Very small lesion were also found to develop in un-
inoculated control potatoes (1.8 mm), where tubers were
wounded with the help of corn borer like it’s done in
treatment then inoculated with only an agar plug without
fungus (Figure 3).
Eect of dierent fungicides on colony growth of F. oxy-
sporum:
e ecacy of dierent fungicides against the col-
ony growth of F. oxysporum was checked under labora-
tory conditions. For this purpose, Radomil, Topsin-M,
Antracol, Mancozeb, Carbendzim, Score, Tilt, Scholar,
Nativo, and Gemstar, were selected and evaluated with
Figure 2. Growth of F. oxysporum isolated from potato
tubers having dry rot of potato disease on PDA and macro
and micro conidia under 400X magnication of compound
microscope.
Table 2. Disease incidences of potato dry rot collected
from 10 dierent vegetables market of Hyderabad regions
and frequency of isolated fungi
Incidences (%) = (34/1000) *100
3.4 %
Frequency of isolated fungi
Fusarium oxysporum (58%)
Another Fusarium spp. (30%)
Aspergillus spp. (22%)
Figure 3. Eect of articial inoculation of F. oxysporum
on lesion development. Data was recorded aer 22 days of
incubation at 25°C.
Indian Journal of Science and Technology
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6
Ecacy of Dierent Fungicides and Bio Control Agents Against Fusarium oxysporum, Causal Agent of Potato Dry Rot
Figure 4. Eect of dierent concentrations of various fungicides on the colony growth of the F. oxysporum. Bar with
dierent letters show signicant dierence (P≤0.05) as determined by LSD.
Figure 5. IC50 value of Radomil, Topsin-M, Antracol, Mancozeb, Carbendzim and Score against F. Oxysporum.
Indian Journal of Science and Technology 7
Vol 12 (7) | February 2019 | www.indjst.org
Shehbaz Jawed, Anum Mehmood, Arif Hussain, Zaheer Ahmed Jatoi, Aftab Ali Kubar, Mir Muhammad Nizamani and Asif Ali Kaleri
Figure 6. IC50 value of Tilt, Scholar, Nativo and Gemstar against F. Oxysporum.
F. oxysporum by dual culture method. Both of them were
placed at the periphery of Petri plate at equidistance in
opposite direction. All four antagonistic organisms cause
highly signicant inhibition in the growth of F. oxyspo-
rum which was higher than 60%. Lowest growth of F.
oxysporum was found as a result of interaction of P. v a r i-
oti (15.5 mm) and P. lilacinus (16.75 mm). Both of them
cause 82.39% and 80.96% inhibition in the growth of tar-
geted pathogen, respectively. Whereas in case of interac-
tion with T. harzianum and T. polysporum the growth of
F. oxysporum was 22.00 mm and 27.75 mm, which is still
signicantly low as compare to the growth of F. oxysporum
88.00 mm in separate control plates. T. harzianum and T.
polysporum cause 75.00% and 68.46% inhibition in the
growth of F. oxysporum (Figure 7). Antagonistic nature
of the bio-agents was recorded with prolonged incuba-
tion. Both specie Paecilomyces of shows D type interac-
tion i.e. mutual inhibition of both at a distance of few mm
while Trichoderma spp. shows Bii type interaction i.e., F.
oxysporum and Trichoderma spp. produces intermingled
growth; growth of the F. oxysporum was ceased and over-
grown by antagonist (Figure 8).
4. Discussion
Dry rot potato is one of the main fungal pathogens that
attack potato throughout the world. e disease found to
Figure 7. Eect of Paecilomyces varioti, Trichoderma
polysporum, T. harzianum and P. lilacinus on the growth/
inhibition of F. oxysporum. Bar with dierent letters show
signicant dierence (P≤0.05) as determined by LSD.
Indian Journal of Science and Technology
Vol 12 (7) | February 2019 | www.indjst.org
8
Ecacy of Dierent Fungicides and Bio Control Agents Against Fusarium oxysporum, Causal Agent of Potato Dry Rot
prevail in 70% of the stored visited in Hyderabad region
with a very low incidence. Average disease incidences of
dry rot of potatoes were recorded 3.4%. It has been esti-
mated dry rot caused by Fusarium spp. causes 6% to 25%
yield losses12.
Symptoms of Fusarium dry rot include minute brown
areas on the surface of tubers18, the infected tubers appear
wrinkled and rolled tissues from the surface, and rot also
creates depressions/cavity in the surface of the tuber.
ese aected tissues turn brown, grey or black. When
symptoms advances spore masses of blue, white, yellow,
purple, black or pink colour may also observe.
Seed tubers and potatoes for consumption may rot
completely. Storage tuber mummies and ultimately only
the dry shell persists14,20,21.
e isolation from diseases tissues revealed the asso-
ciation of Fusarium spp. and Aspergillus spp. F. oxyspo-
rum was appeared as most predominant fungus. ere
are many species of Fusarium reported to cause dry rot
of potato worldwide3. Fusrium dry rot caused by many
Fusarium species like F. coeruleum, F. eumartii, F. oxy-
sporum, F. sulphureum and F. sambucinum Fuckel11.
Mejdoub-Trabelsi24 isolated four Fusarium spp. predomi-
nantly associated with dry rot of potato. i.e., F. s a m bu-
cinum, F. oxysporum, F. sol a n i and F. graminearum. On
PDA medium it produced morphological characteristic
that are similar those described by19,31.
Pathogenicity test of F. oxysporum conrmed the
virulent nature of the pathogen and produces the similar
symptoms of potato dry rot. Author in32 conrmed the
pathogenicity of two F. oxysporum isolates associated
with potato dry rot in Colombia. Inoculation with both
induced moderate dry rot. Mode of spread is by planting
infected tubers or by contaminated, as the pathogen is soil
borne, airborne or carried in plant residue22. erefore,
emphasis must be given to control dry rot of potato. So
far, this disease is managed with the application of fun-
gicides.
Continuous use of same fungicide is the main fac-
tor to develop resistance for it as documented in potato
dry rot pathogen against iabendazole11. erefore, in
present study dierent fungicide determined against F.
oxysporum causal agent of dry rot of potato. Radomil,
Topsin-M, Antracol, Mancozeb, Carbendzim, Score, Tilt,
Scholar, Nativo, and Gemstar, were selected and evaluated
with ve dierent doses, i.e., 1, 10, 100, 1000 and 10000
ppm by food poisoning method. All concentrations of
fungicides reduced the growth of F. oxysporum as com-
pared to control. However, higher concentrations were
more eective than the lower ones. e growth of the test
pathogen gradually decreased with increasing concentra-
tions. All the fungicide at 10000 ppm completely stops the
growth of test pathogen. Similarly, Piwoni33 found sixty
isolates of F. avenaceum and forty isolates of F. coeruleum
sensitive to used fungicide, while eighty-ve isolates of
sixty eight percent ofF. sulphureumand one isolate ofF.
culmorum were found not sensitive to iabendazole.All
A
B
C
Figure 8. Eect of dierent biocontrol fungi on the
growth/inhibition of F. oxysporum A=Paecilomyces varioti;
B=Trichoderma harzianum and C= T. Polysporum.
Indian Journal of Science and Technology 9
Vol 12 (7) | February 2019 | www.indjst.org
Shehbaz Jawed, Anum Mehmood, Arif Hussain, Zaheer Ahmed Jatoi, Aftab Ali Kubar, Mir Muhammad Nizamani and Asif Ali Kaleri
the Fusarium spp. were sensitive to Imazalil and were
pathogenic when inoculated into potato tubers. Yasmin34
also found Azoxystrobin, Quinoline, Hymexazol and
Fludioxonil with inhibitory eect on mycelial growth of
F.oxysporumf. sp.tuberosi.
IC50 values for each fungicide were also calculated. It
greatly varied for each fungicide. Lowest IC50 value was
found in case of Topsin-M, Scholar, Antracol and Radomil.
Whereas, highest IC50 value was found in Nativo followed35
tested six fungicides; Carbendazim, Benomyl, Prochloraz,
Azoxystrobin, Fludioxonil and Bromuconazole, against F.
oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici with seven dierent concentra-
tions. Prochloraz and Bromuconazole were the most eec-
tive fungicides against the pathogen both in vitro and in
vivo, followed by Benomyl and Carbendazim. Fungal radial
growth was measured and median eective concentration
(EC50) values (µg/ml) determined. Biological controls
of dry rot with dierent bio-control agents such as fungi,
bacteria, and yeasts have been reported as eective under
experimental conditions23,36. Four dierent bio-control
agent’s i.e., Paecilomyces lilacinus, P. varioti, Trichoderma
harzianum and T. polysporum. All four antagonistic organ-
isms cause highly signicant inhibition in the growth of
F. oxysporum which was higher than 60%. Antagonistic
organisms like Trichoderma spp. and Pseudomonas aeru-
ginosa have been found to be eective management strat-
egy24. Author in34 found reduction in colony diameter of F.
oxysporum isolated from potato dry rot by T. harzianum, T.
viride and T. virens.
Antagonistic nature of the bio-agents was recorded
with prolonged incubation. Growth of pathogen was
inhibited by Paecilomyces spp. and mutual inhibition of
both antagonist and pathogen at a distance of few mm was
observed. Whereas in case of Trichoderma spp. pathogen
and antagonist produces intermingled growth, growth of
the F. oxysporum was ceased and overgrown by antago-
nist. Similar interaction was also reported37. Author in34
evaluated dierent Trichoderma spp. against F. oxysporum
isolate from potato dry rot i.e., T. harzianum, T. viride
and T. virens and studied interaction mechanisms which
include disintegration of host cytoplasm and/or alteration
into cords and/or coiling around pathogen hyphae.
5. Summary
Dry rot is considered the most important post-harvest
disease that attack potato throughout the world especially
for seed production where are store for prolonged dura-
tion. e disease found to prevail in 70% of the stored
visited in Hyderabad region with very low incidences.
Average disease incidences of dry rot of potatoes were
recorded 3.4%. Symptoms of Fusarium dry rot include
minute brown areas on the surface of tubers. e infected
tubers appear wrinkled and rolled tissues from the sur-
face, rot also creates depressions/ cavity in the surface
of the tuber. ese aected tissues turn brown, grey or
black. When symptoms advance fungal spore masses of
varying colour may also observed. e isolation from
diseases tissues revealed the association of Fusarium spp.
and Aspergillus spp. F. oxysporum was appeared as most
predominant fungus. Pathogenicity test of F. oxysporum
conrmed the virulent nature of the pathogen and pro-
duces the similar symptoms of potato dry rot.
So far, this disease is managed with the application of
fungicides. Continuous use of same fungicide is the main
factor to develop resistance for it as documented in potato
dry rot pathogen against iabendazole. In present study,
dierent fungicides were tested against causal agent of
dry rot of potato. Ten fungicide i.e., Radomil, Topsin-M,
Antracol, Mancozeb, Carbendzim, Score, Tilt, Scholar,
Nativo, and Gemstar, were evaluated against F. oxysporum
with ve dierent doses, i.e., 1, 10, 100, 1000 and 10000
ppm by food poisoning method. All concentrations of
fungicides reduced the growth of F. oxysporum as com-
pared to control. However, higher concentrations were
more eective than the lower ones. e growth of the test
pathogen gradually decreased with increasing concentra-
tions. All the fungicide at 10000 ppm completely stops
the growth of test pathogen. IC50 value for each fungi-
cide was also calculated from fungal radial growth at ve
dierent concentrations. It greatly varied for each fungi-
cide. Lowest IC50 value was found in case of Topsin-M,
Scholar, Antracol and Radomil. Whereas, highest IC50
value was found in Nativo followed.
Four dierent bio-control agents’ i.e., Paecilomyces
lilacinus, P. varioti, Trichoderma harzianum and T. polys-
porum. All four antagonistic organisms cause highly sig-
nicant inhibition in the growth of F. oxysporum which
was higher than sixty percent. Antagonistic nature of
the bio-agents was recorded with prolonged incubation.
Growth of pathogen was inhibited by Paecilomyces spp.
and mutual inhibition of both antagonist and pathogen
at a distance of few mm was observed. Whereas in case
of Trichoderma spp. pathogen and antagonist produces
Indian Journal of Science and Technology
Vol 12 (7) | February 2019 | www.indjst.org
10
Ecacy of Dierent Fungicides and Bio Control Agents Against Fusarium oxysporum, Causal Agent of Potato Dry Rot
intermingled growth, growth of the F. oxysporum was
ceased and overgrown by antagonist.
6. Conclusions
Prevalence of potato dry rot in Hyderabad, Sindh, ecacy
of dierent antagonistic agents and fungicides against F.
oxysporum causal agent of dry rot of potato are studied.
Dierent Fusarium spp. and Aspergillus spp. were found
associated with the collected potatoes with varying fre-
quencies. F. oxysporum was appeared as most predomi-
nant isolated fungus with the maximum frequency of
59%. Typical symptoms of dry rot of potato appeared on
articially inoculated tubers with F. oxysporum. Fungal
fruiting bodies also appeared on rotted areas aer pro-
longed storage.
In vitro fungal growth test in the presence of dierent
fungicide were performed in order to nd out best fungi-
cide. Ten fungicides viz., Radomil, Topsin-M, Antracol,
Mancozeb, Carbendzim, Score, Tilt, Scholar, Nativo and
Gemstar were evaluated against F. oxysporum with ve
dierent doses, i.e., 1, 10, 100, 1000 and 10000 ppm by
food poisoning method. Fungal diameter in the Petri
dishes was recorded every day till any of the treatment
nd full of fugal growth. All concentrations of fungicides
reduced the growth of F. oxysporum as compared to con-
trol. However, higher concentrations were more eec-
tive than the lower ones. e growth of the test pathogen
gradually decreased with increasing concentrations. All
the fungicide at 10000 ppm completely stops the growth
of test pathogen.
IC50 value for each fungicide was also calculated
from fungal radial growth at ve dierent concentra-
tions, it greatly varied for each fungicide. Lowest IC50
value was found in case of Topsin-M, Scholar, Antracol
and Radomil. Whereas, highest IC50 value was found in
Nativo followed.
Four dierent bio-control agents i.e. Paecilomyces
lilacinus, P. varioti, Trichoderma harzianum and T. polys-
porum were tested against dry rot pathogen. All four
antagonistic organisms cause highly signicant inhi-
bition in the growth of F. oxysporum which was higher
than sixty percent. Growth of pathogen was inhibited by
Paecilomyces spp. and mutual inhibition of both antago-
nist and pathogen at few mm was observed. Whereas in
case of Trichoderma spp. pathogen and antagonist pro-
duces intermingled growth, growth of the F. oxysporum
was ceased and overgrown by antagonist.
7. Recommendation
e results of the present study shows that dry rot of
potato prevail in study area but with low incidences.
However, to reduce the present incidences and to reduce
the further spread management methods should be eval-
uated. In-vitro amendment of fungicide in culture media
inhibits the colony growth of F. oxysporum. erefore
in-vivo application of fungicide for the control of this
disease should be evaluated. Reduction in colony diam-
eter of F. oxysporum was observed with the application of
used antagonistic fungi. In this connection further stud-
ies should be carried out to nd out the alternative of fun-
gicide for management of this disease.
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