A Study on the Efficacy of Melody Duo and Antracol 70 Fungicides On Early Blight Disease (Alternaria solani) on Potato and Tomato Crops

Abstract

The present study was conducted during the seasons 2001 /0002 and 2002 /0003 to determine the efficacy of two fungicides for the control of early blight disease on potato (Solanum tuberosum) cv. Alpha and tomato (Lycopersicon esculantum) variety i.e., Peto 86 and Strain B, assessed in terms of disease incidence, disease severity and yield (quantitatively and qualitatively). The fungicides tested in this study were Antracol 70 and Melody Duo. Each fungicide was tested in three concentrations. Fungicides application resulted in variable decrease in the disease incidence and disease severity and, increase in yield. For potato crop, the highest dose of Antracol (0.6 Kg /fed.) proved to be efficient in combating disease incidence and disease severity, while the proposed dose of Melody Duo (1 Kg /fed.) proved to be the most efficient in increasing yield in season 2001 /0002. For the second season (2002 /0003), Melody Duo in the proposed dose (1 Kg /fed.) proved to be efficient in combating disease incidence and disease severity. For tomato crop, cv. Peto 86, in season 2001 /0002, the highest dose of Melody Duo (1.25 Kg /fed.) proved to be efficient in combating disease severity and percentage of discarded fruits. On the other hand, the least dose of Melody Duo (0.75 Kg /fed.) resulted in the highest yield. In the second season (2002 /0003), the proposed dose of Melody Duo 1 Kg /fed. proved to be the most efficient in combating disease incidence and disease severity. Antracol in the proposed dose (0.5 Kg /fed.) proved to be efficient in increasing the yield, while the highest dose of Antracol showed the highest percentage of healthy fruits. For tomato cv. Strain B (Season 2002 /0003), the proposed dose for Melody Duo (1 Kg /fed.) proved to be efficient in combating disease incidence, while the least dose of Melody Duo proved to be efficient in increasing the yield (quantitatively and qualitaitively). The highest dose of Antracol proved to be efficient in combating the disease severity.