Investigations were carried out to understand the influence of various inoculum levels of the pathogen Macrophomina phaseolina on sprouting and root rot disease incidence of mulberry under pot culture studies. The sprouting percentage drastically reduced with increase in inoculum level in both soil conditions (sterile and non-sterile). In general, it was found that increased inoculum level reduced the sprouting of mulberry cuttings both under sterile and non-sterile soil conditions.
Under sterile soil conditions at inoculum level 10.0, 15.0 and 20.0% there was zero sprouting. Similarly, it was recorded that an increase in inoculum level and days after plantation increased the root rot disease incidence of mulberry saplings both under sterile and non-sterile soil conditions. Under sterile soil conditions, the 100% mean disease incidence was recorded at inoculum levels of 10.0, 15.0, and 20.0%, whereas decrease in disease incidence was recorded at inoculum levels of 5.0 (69.19%), 3.0 (27.38%), 1.0 (18.47%) and 0.5% (4.19%). Likewise, under non-sterile soil conditions, the maximum mean disease incidence was at 20% (92.9%) inoculum level followed by 15.0 (83.67%), 10.0 (81.71%), 5.0 (59.14%), 3.0 (21.0%), 1.0 (14.81%) and 0.5% (3.76%). |
