Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research
 

Vol. 6(9), pp. 547-553. December, 2018.

ISSN: 2360-7874 

 DOI: 10.14662/ARJASRD2018.086

Full Length Research

Evaluation of botanicals for managing leaf rust of castor caused by Melampsora ricini

Metasebia Terefe, Kedir Shifa, Ahmed Ibrahim, Abiy Tilahun

Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, P.O.Box-436, Adama, Ethiopia.

Corresponding author: Metasebia Terefe, Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research Center, Melkassa Agricultural Research Center, Melkassa. E-mail: metasebiaterefe@gmail.com

Accepted 19 November 2018

Castor plant is severely infected by leaf rust disease caused by (Melampsora ricini) which is often responsible for drying of the leaves. The use of botanicals is cost effective and environmentally safe and is potentially useful for resource poor small-scale farmers as it is locally available. The present study was undertaken to investigate the potential efficacy of various botanicals for the control of the disease. The present study was conducted with the objectives to evaluate the efficacy of plant extract against leaf rust of diseases (Melampsora  ricini). Botanicals were tested against rust disease on castor plants in greenhouse and field conditions at Melkassa Agricultural Research Center (MARC). The treatments were arranged with Completely Randomized Design (CRD) for greenhouse and Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in the field experiments in three replications. Significant differences were observed among botanicals in the green house as well as field experiments. In green house, next to mancozeb maximum disease reduction (52 %), fresh leaf weight (40gm) and dry leaf weight (8gm) were recorded from neem (Azadirachta indica). In field trial, among considered botanicals, minimum incidence (26.36%) and disease index (29.45%) were recorded from neem which was at par with garlic (33.33%), pyrethrum (40.56 %), lantana weed (47.22%) and mancozeb. Findings illustrated that among the tested botanicals neem was found effective for managing disease of leaf rust. Thus, it seems to be effective for the management of leaf rust and has the potential to be a vital component of integrated management for leaf rust of castor (Melampsora ricini). Therefore, it could be concluded that plant extracts (neem) may be useful to control leaf rust disease as a safe alternative option to chemical fungicides.

Key words: plant extracts, rust disease, castor plant

How to cite this article (APA Style):

Terefe, M., Shifa, K., Ibrahim, A., Tilahun, A. (2018). Evaluation of botanicals for managing leaf rust of castor caused by Melampsora ricini. Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 6(9): 547-553