In vitro evaluation of fungicides and botanicals against stem rot of chilli caused by Sclerotium rolfsii

Stem rot caused by Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. has been observed to cause rapid mortality in chilli plantations. Among eight fungicides and eight botanicals tested in vitro against S. rolfsii, the result revealed that maximum (100%) inhibition was observed in carboxin, propiconazole, hexaconazole, difenconazole and carbendazim at all three concentrations viz., 500, 1000 and 1500 ppm followed by captan (79.30, 82.76 and 85.23%) and triadimenfon (49.13, 60.23 and 65.33%) over control. Minimum per cent of inhibition was observed in the plates poisoned with copper oxychloride (47.26, 51.63 and 54.40%), respectively at all three concentrations. Among botanicals, at 5 and 10 per cent concentrations, significantly highest average inhibition was recorded with neem (74.81%), followed by tulsi (67.10%) and nirgudi (65.81%). Significantly least average inhibition was recorded with sorghum (47.23 %). The rest of the botanicals recorded more than 50.00 per cent average inhibition of mycelial growth over untreated control (00.00%).