Abstract

Thirteen fungicides were evaluated in vitro following poison-food technique and soil method for their efficacy against two isolates of Rhizoctonia solani causing web blight of Albizia falcataria seedlings in Kerala. The efficacy of Terraclor Super-X and Bavistin, the two most effective fungicides was further tested in vitro against R. solani isolates. Three separate fungicidal treatments were carried out to standardise the time of application of fungicides in nursery beds. Of the 13 fungicides screened against R. solani only Bavistin (2000 mug a. i/ml) and Terraclor Super-X (1170, 2340 and 3510 mug/ml) inhabited the growth of the fungus completely in soil method. The poison-food technique near inhibition of growth was caused by Benlate, Emisan-6, Terraclor Super-X, Bavistin and Vitavax. However, during in vitro trials only Bavistin applied as soil drench 1 week before transplanting the seedlings in the infested soil, controlled the disease caused by both the isolates