MANAGEMENT OF URDBEAN LEAF CRINKLE DISEASE USING MICRO-NUTRIENTS AND PLANT EXTRACTS IN RELATION TO ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

Urdbean (Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper) is an important pulse crop grown worldwide. Among the Urdbean diseases, Urdbean Leaf Crinkle disease caused by Urdbean leaf crinkle virus (ULCV) is the most significant disease of Urdbean in Pakistan. This disease causes huge losses in the production of Urdbean. Also, susceptible germplasm and favourable environmental conditions play a role in the severity of this disease. The present study was conducted to manage the disease using plant extracts and micronutrients, along with the epidemiological aspects to explain the dynamics of the disease. Four different plant extracts (botanicals) were prepared as; T1= Garlic extract (2.5%) T2= Neem extract (2.5%) T3= Micronutrient (2.5%) and T4= Control (Distil water). Correlation studies between environmental factors i.e., Temperature and relative humidity and ULCV infection in eight selected Urdbean lines, revealed positive interaction for maximum and minimum temperatures, however negative to the relative humidity. Among the different plant extract, Neem extract, followed by Garlic extract, has significantly reduced the disease severity as compared to control. Further, plants sprayed with neem extract have least whitefly population followed by garlic and accordingly minimum disease severity was observed. These results are helpful in the understanding of epidemiological factors that play vital role in disease spread. Furthermore, the plant extracts can be used to manage the vector populations, which ultimately reduce the disease incidence.