Fungitoxic effect of inorganic salts for the management of seed borne Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium sp. causing charcoal rot and wilt disease in blackgram

The laboratory experiments were carried out to study the effect of different salts viz., potassium chloride (KCl), potassium phosphate dibasic (K2HPO4), sodium carbonate (Na2CO3), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) and ammonium molybdate (NH4)6Mo7O24) on seed borne M. phaseolina and Fusarium sp. as an alternative to synthetic fungicides for the control of charcoal rot and wilt diseases in blackgram. The evaluation of different salts was performed in vitro using various concentrations viz.,0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 4.0 and 8.0 per cent (w/v). Among the salts tested against M. phaseolina, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate and ammonium molybdate at 0.5, 2.0 and 4.0 per cent respectively inhibited the fungal growth. Among the salts tested againstFusarium sp. sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) at 4.0 per cent concentration recorded complete inhibition of the mycelial growth compared to the other salts. Also seed priming of these salts significantly reduced the seed borne infection due to M. phaseolinaand Fusarium sp. under standard blotter test. The salts like potassium chloride and potassium phosphate dibasic (K2HPO4) at all concentrations did not inhibit M. phaseolina and Fusarium sp. which recorded 100 per cent mycelial growth as that ofcontrol.