Effect of Bacillus subtilis, Soil Amendments and Microalgae Treatment on Fusarium equiseti of Turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) Prayagraj, India

Rhizome rot of turmeric caused by Fusarium equiseti emerge as a significant soil-borne threat to crop health. An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of Bacillus subtilis, soil amendments and microalgae treatment on Fusarium equiseti of Turmeric (Curcuma longa L). Experiment was conducted under field condition at the courtyard of department of Plant Pathology, SHUATS, Prayagraj, during kharif season of 2022. Various soil treatments including farm yard manure (FYM), spent mushroom compost (SMC), and microalgae were used, along with rhizome treatment utilizing Bacillus subtilis. The experiment was carried out in Randomized Block design (RBD) with three (3) replications. Results revealed that in the soil application, (T5) i.e., the combination of all the treatments recorded minimum disease intensity (59.26%) which was significant over other treatments and control (T0) (33.86%). To evaluate the radial growth (mm) of Fusarium equiseti in turmeric, seven botanicals from Manipur viz., Zanthoxylum acanthopodium, Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis, Solanum xanthocarpum, Centella asiatica, Drymaria cordata, Persicaria chinensis and Gynura cusimbua were investigated in vitro at 10% and 30% concentration. The antagonistic effects of various botanicals were evaluated in vitro, demonstrating inhibition of mycelial growth. Among the tested botanicals, Zanthoxylum acanthopodium inhibited the highest inhibition rate (86.27%), followed by Phlogacanthus thyrsiformis (77.45%), Solanum xanthocarpum (75.48%), Persicaria chinensis (68.62%), Drymaria cordata (65.68%), Gynura cusimbua (62.74%) with Centella asiatica displaying the lowest inhibition rate (57.84%), all at a concentration of 30%. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of integrated management strategies involving biological control agents and soil amendments for sustainable management of Fusarium equiseti in turmeric cultivation. Implementation of these strategies holds promise for improving crop health, productivity, and sustainability in turmeric production systems.