Evaluation of plant extracts for management of maydis leaf blight of maize.

Among the extracts tested, garlic clove extract was highly effective in inhibiting the growth of Helminthosporium maydis as it produced 66.5, 73.8 and 83.9% growth inhibition at 2, 5 and 10% concentrations, respectively. Neem leaf and tulsi leaf extracts were found effective as growth inhibitions were between 37 to 65 and 39 to 48%. Bael leaf extract was not at all inhibitory even at 10% concentration. Similarly, onion bulb and mentha leaf extracts were also not very promising as they produced only 38.6 and 25.4% inhibition, respectively at 10% concentration. The disease was adequately managed by spraying of garlic and neem extract @ 5% in fields.