Efficacy of EC formulation of Eucalyptus extract in controlling Alternaria leaf spot of potato, caused by Alternaria alternata under greenhouse condition

Subject Areas : Plant Pests

Masoud Zaker ¹ , Babak Haidari Alizadeh ²

1 - Instructor, Department of plant protection, Shahrood Agricultural research Center, Shahrood, Iran
2 - Department of pesticide research, Iranian Plant pests and Diseases research Institute, Tehran, Iran.

Received: 2014-10-12 Accepted : 2015-01-21 Published : 2014-12-22

Keywords: Potato, Biological control, Eucalyptus, Alternaria alternata, Bioformulation,

Abstract :

The Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus Camaldulensis) extract contains eucalyptol as active ingredient and has disinfectant and antifungal properties. Its fast degradation and very less toxicity for mammals has caused attention toward its use as a safe pesticide. Its efficacy in controlling the mycelial growth and spore germination of Alternaria alternata the causal agent of Alternaria leaf spot of potato under laboratory condition has been approved. During 2011, the efficacy of 5, 10 and 15% of its EC formulation in controlling Alternaria leaf spot disease of potato was conducted in a completely randomized design with five treatments and four replications under green house condition. Fungicide mancozeb 0.2% was used for better comparison. Results indicated that all three eucalyptus concentrations with 24.80, 16.28 and 9.29% disease incidence respectively showed significant differences at 1% level of probability in controlling the disease compared to control. Eucalyptus formulation (15%) and mancozeb were kept in same statistical group. By increasing the percentage of eucalyptus formulation its phytptoxicity was increased. Percentage of phytotoxicity in 5, 10 and 15% of eucalyptus formulations were 4.02, 10.65 and 21.34% respectively. Further studies are needed for omitting its phytotoxicity, so that it might be used as a safe bio-fungicide in controlling Alternaria leaf spot of potato.