Management of fruit drop of Nagpur mandarin using bioagents, botanicals and fungicides

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is responsible for twig blight, dieback and fruit drop in Nagpur mandarin. In vitro studies of bioagents, botanicals and fungicides efficacy against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides revealed that Curzate M 8 @ 0.3% and carbendazim @ 0.1%, completely inhibited (100%) the growth of pathogen. Among bioagents, Pseudomonas fluorescens inhibited the growth of C. gloeosporioides to the extent of 89.05 per cent. Among two botanical extracts, neem seed extract (5.0%) found to inhibit the mycelial growth to the extent of 78.09 per cent. Maximum reduction in per cent fruit drop (26.0%) was recorded in sprays of Curzate M 8 (0.3%) followed by copper oxychloride which showed 34.00 per cent reduction in mandarin fruit drop.