Invitro Evaluation of Botanicals and Biocontrol Agents against Pomegranate Bacterial Blight Pathogen

Abstract

ABSTRACT:In India, pomegranate is regarded as a "vital cash crop". Successful cultivation of pomegranate in recent years has met with different traumas such as pest and diseases. Among diseases bacterial blight caused by Xanthomonasaxonopodispv. Punicae is a major threat. In the present study the bacteria were isolated from infected pomegranate plant; fruit, leaves and stem and subjected to bio chemical analysis to identify Xanthomonas. Ethanol, methanol and aqueous extracts of four botanicals and three bio control agents were evaluated for their antibacterial activity against the harmful pathogen which was isolated from the infected pomegranate plant. Among these, the ethanol extracts of Azadirachtaindica (Neem) and bio control agent T.viride showed significant inhibitory effect. These were applied to the infected plant and were tested.