EFFECTS OF PLANT EXTRACTS AND CULTURAL PRACTICES ON CUCUMBER MOSAIC VIRUS (CMV) DISEASE MANAGEMENT IN SQUASH (Cucurbita pepo L.)

Abstract

An experiment was set up at the field of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University from December, 2020 to March 2021. The present study was aimed to evaluate effectiveness of several cultural practices viz. inter cropping by coriander, border cropping by wheat, black polythene mulch, reflective aluminum mulch and plant extracts viz. neem leaf, papaya leaf, mahogany bark for the management of viral disease of BARI squash 1. The virus in squash was detected through biological method and DAS-ELISA test. Most of the samples reacted positively against the antiserum of Cucumber mosaic virus. In response to different selected treatments against the viral disease, growth and growth contributing characters, yield and yield attributes of squash were recorded. Significant variations were found among different treatments against virus disease management in squash. Based on the last observation, it was found that viral infection varied from 22.22 % to 83.33% and 11.10% to 83.30% in terms of disease incidence and disease severity, respectively. Maximum prevalence (disease incidence 83.33% and disease severity 83.30%) was found in T 0 (Control) and minimum prevalence (disease incidence 22.22% and disease severity 11.10%) was observed in T 4 (Reflecting mulch) followed by T 5 (Neem leaf extract) (disease incidence 44.44% and disease severity 24.96%). The effect of different treatments on yield and yield contributing characters also showed significant variations among them, the highest yield (ton/ha) was found in T 4 (Reflecting mulch) followed by T 5 (Neem leaf extract) and the lowest yield (ton/ha) was found in T 0

(control). It was also found that the percent of disease incidence and severity were positively correlated with the number of insect vector. On the contrary, the yield (ton/ha) was negatively correlated with the value of percent disease incidence and severity and insect population in the field of squash. From the findings of the present study, it may be concluded that reflecting mulch (aluminum foil) and neem leaf extracts can be used as ecofriendly approaches for the management of viral disease of squash. However, further investigations are needed to justify the present findings to get more reliable result.