Effect of sowing date and meteorological parameters on development of white rust disease in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.)

Field experiments conducted to determine the influence of sowing dates and weather parameters on development of white rust disease revealed that the crop sown on 15th October recorded significantly less disease severity as compared to the crop sown on 30th November and the disease index increased with delay in sowing date during both the cropping seasons on both the cultivars of raya. Correlation between weather parameters and disease index showed that maximum temperature and minimum temperature had significant and negative correlation with disease index while relative humidity had significant and positive relationship with disease index and these weather factors accounted for 82 and 80% variation in disease severity during 2007–08 and 2008–09, respectively.