Evaluating the efficacy of various fungicidal agents and Phytohormone to manage rough bark disease of cinnamon (Cinnamomum Zeylanicum b.)

Abstract

Cinnamon, a vital spice crop exported from Sri Lanka, faces the economic threat of Rough Bark Disease (RBD), a major biotic factor affecting cinnamon production. In response to the environmental and health concerns associated with chemical pesticides, environmentally friendly alternatives to control RBD are becoming increasingly popular. This study compares the effectiveness of multiple fungicide treatments and a phytohormone in controlling RBD under field conditions. The field experiment was based on a factorial design and included six treatments with ten replicates each. Both in vitro and in vivo evaluations of the treatments were carried out, which included tebuconazole at a concentration of 0.05% (T1), tebuconazole at a concentration of 0.1% (T2), aqueous neem extract (T3), 5 ml salicylic acid (T4) and 1% Bordeaux mixture included (T5) and a control group (T6). The results showed that the most effective inhibition of mycelial growth (100%) occurred with 1% Bordeaux mixture treatments in in vitro evaluations. Tebuconazole also significantly inhibited mycelial growth at concentrations of 0.05% and 0.1%. In the field trial, which included two application periods, no differences were evident between the treatments with 1% Bordeaux mixture and 0.05% or 0.1% tebuconazole in the occurrence and severity of RBD. However, combined in vitro and in vivo studies highlight the superiority of the 1% Bordeaux mixture as the most effective antifungal agent for controlling RBD in cinnamon compared to other treatments.