Abstract            Volume:12  Issue-6  Year-2024         Original Research Articles

Online ISSN : 2347 - 3215 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcret@gmail.com

Foliar diseases of cowpea include Myrothecium leaf spot (Myrothecium roridum), Anthracnose (Colletotrichum lindemuthianum and C. dematium), stem and leaf blight (Macrophomina phaseolina) and web blight (Rhizoctonia solani). Macrophomina phaseolina, Colletotrichum dematium and Dreschlera tetramera were isolated from infected leaves of cowpea collected from Akola, Amravati and Washim districts of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. Among these fungi, Macrophomina phaseolina, Myrothecium roridum and Colletotrichum dematium were found pathogenic to cowpea. To know the possible sources of diseases infection, these fungi were used for further studies by leaf, soil and seed inoculation methods. Under leaf inoculation method, symptoms were produced on leaves after 12 to 15 days from the date of inoculation. Maximum infection (80%) was observed in Colletotrichum dematium. Seed and soil inoculation method were observed to be more or less similar in both cases. Seed rot was observed in the range of 24 to 43 per cent, pre and post-emergence damping off 17.33 to 34.21 per cent and seedling blight 14.29 to 29.07 per cent. Hence, it is concluded that, seed and soil borne inoculum of these fungi are responsible for causing the diseases in cowpea. Among fungicides, Curzate M 8, mancozeb, penconazole and combination of carbendazim + mancozeb showing 100 per cent mycelia growth inhibition were found effective in reducing the growth of the fungi namely Macrophomina phaseolina, Myrothecium roridum and Colletotrichum dematium.

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