PREVALENCE OF BACTERIAL WILT OF POTATO CAUSED BY RALSTONIA SOLANACEARUM AT MANIKGANJ DISTRICT AND ITS IN VITRO MANAGEMENT

Abstract

A survey on bacterial wilt disease of potato was conducted in three major potato growing upazilas namely,Saturia, Daulatpur and Ghior of Manikganj district during the growing season of 2015-2016. The isolated pathogen was Ralstonia solanacearum which was confirmed by different biochemical test viz. Gram staining reaction, Potassium hydroxide solubility test, Kovac‟s oxidase test, Levan test, Catalase test and Pathogenecity test. Bacterial wilt disease incidence ranged from 25.81% to 45.16% were recorded in those upazillas. Six treatments viz. control (distilled water), bleaching powder (5.2 mg/kg soil), turmeric powder(10%), magnesium chloride (10 mg/kg soil), cow dung powder (1:1) and Krosin AG (0.5 gm/L) were evaluated in the net house. The highest reduction of PDS (percent disease severity) was observed in cow dung powder treatment (56.25%) which was followed by turmeric powder (37.5%) and magnesium chloride (31.25%), respectively. However, the performance in reducing the disease was identical in Krosin AG (12.5%) and bleaching powder (12.5%), which was found to be lower than magnesium chloride but higher than control (distilled water) in the inoculated pots.