Assessing the effectiveness of commercially available botanicals and bioagents against Fusarium verticillioides causing Pokkah boeng disease in maize

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the important cereal crops in the world which stands next to wheat and rice. It isthe source of food security and economic development in India. However, maize is prone to several diseases. Climatechange has led to the emergence of a new disease Pokkah boeng caused by Fusarium spp. in India. In this study, the causalagent of Pokkah boeng disease in maize, was isolated and cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. The pathogenexhibited white mycelial growth that developed into a pinkish-white colony, with characteristic microconidia and macroconidia. The ITS region of r DNA was sequenced, revealing 100% homology with F. verticillioides MK264336. The effectiveness oftwelve botanicals and six bioagents against F. verticillioides was assessed using poison food and dual culture techniques. Among the botanicals, Elixir and Crop Verdict achieved complete inhibition (100%) of the pathogen, significantlyoutperforming others. Among bioagents, Trichoderma harzianum (IOF strain) exhibited the highest inhibition (86.27%),followed by the Raichur strain of T. harzianum (83.95%) and T. viride (81.40%). The study under scores the potential ofusing botanicals and bioagents as sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides in managing F. verticillioides, with Trichodermaspp. showing strong antagonistic activity through mechanisms such as mycoparasitism, antibiosis and competition.