Efficacy of fungicides as seed treatment and foliar spraying for management of leaf blight (Bipolaris sorokiniana ) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Wheat leaf blight is emerging as one of the yield limiting factor in north eastern plain zone and also in north western plain zone. The chemical fungicides play a major role in controlling the leaf blight in India due to non availability of leaf blight resistant commercial varieties. To identify the suitable chemical fungicides and method of application, various fungicides (captan 50%WP, carboxin 37.5% WP + thiram  37.5% WP, propiconazole 25% EC, tebuconazole 25% EC and mancozeb 75% WP) were evaluated either as seed treatment or foliar sprays and in combination under artificial epiphytotic field conditions for two crop seasons. The seed treatment  with carboxin 37.5% WP + thiram  37.5% WP @ 1.5 g kg -1 seed followed by spraying with propiconazole 25% EC @ 0.1% at boot leaf stage resulted in best management of leaf blight in severe conditions. It was observed that the fungicide treatment not only controlled the blight severity and also the wheat grain yield.