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Damping off and fruit rot caused by Colletotrichum capsici are the major constraints in production and marketability of chilli. Systemic fungicides are commonly used to control this disease. However, continuous use of chemical fungicides leads to negative impact on environment, soil and human health. Therefore, present studies (blotter and pot experiment) were conducted to explore the bio-fungicides (as an alternative to chemical fungicide) in comparison with carbendazim using chilli seeds infected with Colletotrichum capsici. Experiments were conducted at the CCSHAU, Hisar, India during 2016 in completely randomized design with nine treatments replicated three times. Six months old seeds having germination above the Indian Minimum Seed Certification Standard, were infected with Colletotrichum capsici and such infected seeds were treated with Trichoderma asperellum, Trichoderma viridae, Pseudomonas fluorescens individually and their combinations to control the disease incidence. The infected, un-infected and seed treatment with carbendazim served as controls. Results revealed that the seed germination was significantly higher (94.7%) with Trichoderma viride treatment compared to all other treatments including controls in blotter method. However, the seedling emergence in pot culture was significantly superior with Carbendazim treatment, the seed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma viridae was on par to that of Carbendazim treatment. The seedling length was significantly superior with Trichoderma viride compared to the carbendazim and other controls both in blotter and pot culture. The seedling dry weight and seedling vigour were significantly higher with carbendazim as compared to the Trichoderma viride treatment or other treatments in both blotter and pot culture. However, the overall seedling vigour obtained with Trichoderma viride was similar to that of carbendazim treatment. The disease incidence was significantly lower with Pseudomonas fluorescens as compared to the Trichoderma viride and carbendazim in blotter method and; T. viride + P. fluorescens treatment was on par to that of carbendazim treatment in pot culture. Therefore, use of Trichoderma viride and Pseudomonas fluorescens individually or in combination are suggested as an alternative to carbendazim to control the Colletotrichum capsici.

The experiment was conducted at Department of Seed Science and Technology CCS, Haryana Agriculture University, Hisar, Haryana from 2013-15 and comprised of seventeen treatment combinations of manures (viz., FYM and Vermicompost), bio-fertilizers (viz., Rhizobium and PSB) and fertilizers. The freshly harvested fenugreek seeds of all the seventeen treatment plot combinations were stored in plastic containers under ambient conditions up to a period of eighteen months. Seed quality was assessed at a regular interval of six months. A significant decline in seed quality was observed in all the nutrient combinations as the period of ageing increased. It was observed that the treatment combination of Rhizobium and PSB along with 75% Recommended Dose of Nitrogen (RDN) recorded significantly higher germination % (87.33%), seedling length (24.77 cm), dry weight (7.5 mg), vigour index-I (2163) and vigour index-II (657) followed by PSB with 100% RDN and Rhizobium with 100% RDN after eighteen months of ambient storage as compared to control. The electrical conductivity (333 µS cm-1g-1) was also recorded minimum in the treatment Rhizobium and PSB along with 75% RDN followed by PSB with 100% RDN and Rhizobium with 100% RDN after the period of ambient storage while the maximum was recorded in control. The study highlighted that the slightly reduced dose of inorganic nitrogen was best when applied in combination with bio-fertilizer (Rhizobium+PSB) for maximizing the storage potential of fenugreek seed as compared to the rest of treatments.

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to distinguish twenty Indian mustard varieties/genotypes based on chemical tests (phenol, modified phenol, KOH, NaOH, Peroxidase and 2, 4-D Auxin). Phenol test grouped variety into three distinct groups viz., dark reddish brown (12 varieties), dark grey (6 varieties) and Dark red (2 varieties). With the help of modified phenol test these varieties were further sub grouped. KOH test grouped varieties into three distinct groups i.e., dark brown (6 varieties), brown (5 varieties) and light brown (9 varieties). These tests clearly differentiated the varieties of one group to that of another groups on the basis of seed coat colour. NaOH test was not reliable for the differentiation of these varieties because all these varieties showed dark brown colour after treating with NaOH solution. Peroxidase test categorized varieties into three groups viz., high (9 varieties), medium (8 varieties), and (3 varieties) while 2, 4-D Auxin test grouped the varieties into three categories viz., tolerant (4 varieties), susceptible (8 varieties) and highly susceptible (8 varieties).

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