Efficacy of triazole fungicides against Stemphylium blight of onion

Abstract

Onion is one of the most important commercial vegetable crops grown in India. It is valued for its distinct pungent flavor and is an essential ingredient for the cooking in many regions. A number of diseases attack onion crops but Stemphylium blight is the most important one and cause huge losses in different parts of world. A field experiment was conducted at Regional Research Station, NHRDF, Nashik in three consecutive years during Kharif 2016, 2017 and 2018 on onion variety Agrifound Dark Red with the objective of the management of Stemphylium blight disease through spray of different fungicides. Four sprays were given at 15 days intervals from 30 days  after transplanting with six fungicides viz, propiconazole (0.1%), tricyclazole (0.1%), epoxiconazole (0.25%), tebuconazole (0.1%), hexaconazole (0.1%) and mancozeb (0.25%) were evaluated and the result showed that, significantly minimum Stemphylium blight incidence (58.89%) with intensity (5.02%) as well as highest gross yield (217.40 q/ha) with marketable (167.93q/ha) were recorded in spray of Epoxiconazole (0.25%). The highest benefit cost ratio (6.02:1) was recorded in Tebuconazole (0.1%) due to lower rate of fungicide.