Author(s): Akshdeep Singh and Rajnish Kumar

Abstract: Early blight, initiated by Alternaria solani, remains one of the most destructive foliar diseases affecting tomato cultivation, contributing to significant economic losses. A systematic field assessment conducted in Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts revealed disease incidence between 10-26% and severity ranging from 3.60-16.40%, with Gurdaspur exhibiting comparatively greater infection levels. Four endophytic fungal isolates were recovered and screened for antagonistic activity under controlled laboratory conditions. Among them, Trichoderma viride displayed the strongest inhibitory response, suppressing mycelial growth by 75.49 per cent, followed by Aspergillus fumigatus (70.02%). The fungicide Nativo produced the highest inhibition (83.03%) among the chemical treatments evaluated. The outcomes highlight the potential of integrating T. viride and Nativo for effective suppression of A. solani. The findings may serve as a baseline for developing sustainable management strategies for early blight.

DOI: 10.22271/27893065.2025.v5.i2c.163

Pages: 199-203 | Views: 116 | Downloads: 47

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