Prevention and control of viral diseases in watermelon through botanical biopesticides

Abstract

In the experiments, conducted for the prevention and control/eco-friendly management of the viral diseases of watermelon, through botanical biopesticides, seed treatment followed by 6 foliar sprays with B. diffusa root extract was found most effective against natural infection of viral disease(s) as compared to seed treatment followed by six foliar sprays with A. indica, seed treatment followed by six foliar sprays with C. aculeatum and seed treatment followed by six foliar sprays with T. arjuna. The appearance of disease symptoms was significantly delayed with six foliar sprays along with seed treatment with B. diffusa root extract followed by six foliar sprays along with seed treatment with A. indica, six foliar sprays of B. diffusa, six foliar sprays along with seed treatment with C. aculeatum, six foliar sprays of A. indica, six foliar sprays of C. aculeatum, six foliar sprays along with seed treatment with T. arjuna bark extract. A gradual decrease in disease incidence was recorded along with corresponding increase in number of sprays of the antiviral agents. Minimum disease incidence was recorded in plots, which have seed treatment followed by six foliar sprays of B. diffusa root extract and was significantly lower over rest of the treatments. As the number of sprays increased along with seed treatment, a gradual increase in vine length, number of fruits plant -1 , fruit diameter, fruit weight and fruit yield were recorded in all botanical treatments. Most effective botanical found was B. diffusa root extract which exhibited maximum vine length, number of fruits plant -1 , fruit diameter, fruit weight and fruit yield followed by A. indica leaf extract, C. aculeatum leaf extract and T. arjuna bark extract.