Pre-planting application of soil sterilents and herbicides for management of crown gall disease on Tolt' cherry rootstock

Abstract

Field experiments were collductcd during 2002 and 2003 at Nauni, Solan to find out the effect of pre-planting application of different soil sterilcnts and herbicides oil thc incidence of crown gall caused by Agrobncterium tumefacines on 'Colt' cherry rootstock. Application of formaldehyde (4 %) resulted in minimum incidence of crown gall (9.77 %) compared with tile control (53.25 %) on 'Colt' cherry rootstock. Application of different soil sterilizing agents resulted in decline of non- target microbial population of fungi, bactcria and actinomycetes initially but its population increascd in subsequent montlls. Oxyfluorfcn (0.5 litrei ha) also reduced thc incidence (30.33 %) compared with the control (60.62 %). Mechanical weeding as not found effective in reducing the crown gall incidence.