Management of Alternaria leaf spot of ashwagandha through eco-friendly inputs

Abstract

The Alternaria leaf spot disease of ashwagandha is a significant and concerning issue, posing a major threat to the crop’s health and productivity. The use of eco-friendly inputs provides an approach to effectively managing disease and contributes to the reduction of environmental pollution. Six organic inputs were tested under in vitro conditions against Alternaria alternata. Panchagavya was found effective in inhibiting the pathogen which showed 89.28 per cent growth inhibition. Among the six treatments tested under field conditions, the foliar application of three sprays of neem leaf extract, 10 per cent (1 l 10 l-1 of water) at 15 days intervals recorded minimum per cent disease intensity (22.93%) with maximum yield (668 kg ha-1), which was statistically at par with foliar spray of azadirachtin (0.03% EC, 0.00015%).