Management of Seed-borne Fungal Diseases of Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merril.) through Novel Seed Dressing Fungicides, Botanicals and Bioagents

Most of the soybean diseases are seed borne in nature, those seed-borne infections can be managed by different strategies like fungicides, botanicals and bioagents. Among the seven seed dressing fungicides tested in vitro as well as in vivo against seed borne fungal infections of soybean and other fungal contaminants, carboxin + thiram was found most effective followed by carbendazim. Out of the ten plant extracts tested against seed borne fungal infections of soybean by rolled towel method, Allium sativum was found to be most effective followed by Azadirachta indica. They differed significantly with respect to seed germination, seed infection and vigour index at 10 per cent concentration over 5 per cent concentration. Among the three bioagents tested for their efficacy in overcoming seedborne fungal infections of soybean, Pseudomonas fluorescens showed least seed infection with maximum per cent germination and vigour index.