~ 3270 ~ International Journal of Chemical Studies 2019; 7(5): 3270-3273 P-ISSN: 2349–8528 E-ISSN: 2321–4902 IJCS 2019; 7(5): 3270-3273 © 2019 IJCS Received: 18-07-2019 Accepted: 22-08-2019 Ravikumar MR Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture. Hanumanamatti, Karnataka, India Tippeshi Chavhan College of Agriculture, Hanumanamatti, Ranebennur and Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Dharwad, Karnataka, India Yashaswini Sharma College of Agriculture, Hanumanamatti, Ranebennur and Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Dharwad, Karnataka, India Correspondence Ravikumar MR Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture. Hanumanamatti, Karnataka, India Evaluation of TAIGRO (Bio-agents) against late blight of Tomato Ravikumar MR, Tippeshi Chavhan and Yashaswini Sharma Abstract Tomato late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary is a serious disease of tomato and potato worldwide. The disease causes severe crop losses in the tomato growing regions of the world. Most of the cultivars grown in the world are reported to be susceptible to late blight. Systemic fungicides have been used widely in the past, but the disease has developed resistance over time. The present study was carried out to minimize fungicide use through bio-agents (Bio-fungicides). Among the bio- fungicides tested, the treatment-NZBBA1106 @500g/500L of water/hawasfoundeffective (PDI 21.80%). The highest late blight disease severity was recorded in untreated control (PDI-50.25%). Overall the bio- fungicide treatment, NZBBA1106 @ 500g/ 500L of water/ha was found most effective treatment by showing 56.62% reduction in disease severity over control followed by NZBBA1106 @ 370g/ 500L of water/ha (53.83%). Keywords: TAEGRO, PDI, Phytophthora infestans Introduction Tomato late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, is a destructive disease of tomato in many parts of the world. The disease also occurs commonly in potatoes, eggplant, nightshade and occasionally on peppers of the family, Solanaceae (Stevenson 1993) [9] . Wherever tomatoes are grown in tropics without excess use of fungicides, the disease is commonly present (Griffith et al. 1995) [6] . The disease was reported having caused tomato and potato crops losses up to 100% (Fry 1999, Shrestha 1997, CIP 1999, Shrestha and Shrestha 1997, Pohronezny et al. 1986, Sherf and Macnab 1986) [5, 4, 8, 7, 10] . The tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) is one of the most widely grown vegetable food crops in the world, second only to the potato. Crops of tomatoes have socioeconomic importance to families, gardeners, farmers, laborers, marketers, retailers, chefs and other workers and services in the food and restaurant industries India. Tomatoes rank as the 10th most valuable agricultural commodity in the state. In addition, there are numerous unaccounted backyard or small tomato gardens in the state, making the tomato plant one of the most important and widely grown food crops. Yet, a humid and tropical environment favors certain plant diseases. The fact that one lives in the subtropics where the climate allows year-round cultivation of tomatoes does not mean it is necessarily a good idea to do so, as many unsuspecting gardeners have learned. A destructive disease, late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans, awaits the tomato where it is cultivated in moist, cool, rainy, and humid environments. This plant pathogen is one of the most notorious and devastating organisms in recent human history, being responsible for the terrible Irish potato ( Solanum tuberosum) famine in the 1840s, and it is arguably the most important pathogen of potatoes and tomatoes worldwide. Host The tomato is a perennial plant in the Solanaceae, the nightshade family, with weak, woody, densely hairy stem that often vines over other plants. It reaches 3–10 ft in height (1–3 m) and bears clusters of edible fruits classified as vegetables. Native to Central, South, and southern North America (Mexico to Peru), tomato is now grown in most arable locations of the world, either as an indoor or outdoor crop, hydroponically or in soil.