International Journal of Agricultural

Science and Research (IJASR)

ISSN(P): 2250-0057; ISSN(E): 2321-0087
Vol. 7, Issue 1, Feb 2017, 343-346
TJPRC Pvt. Ltd.

FIELD EFFICACY OF CHEMICALS FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF

TWISTER DISEASE OF ONION

SURESH PATIL & V. B. NARGUND

Department of Plant Pathology, UAS, Dharwad, Karnataka, India
ABSTRACT

Twister disease of onion has become epidemic in coastal tract and other onion growing districts of Karnataka
which caused heavy loss, Therefore efforts were made to manage the disease by chemicals.Field trial was conducted on
onion variety Arka kalyna to test the efficacy of fungicides and insecticides against twister disease of onion under field
condition during kharif 2011 and 2012 at MARS Dharwad. The fungicides namely mancozeb @ 0.25%,propiconazole @
0.1%, copper oxychloride @ 0.25%, tricyclazole @ 0.1% and hexaconazole @ 0.1% were tested alone and along with
insecticides namely methomyl @ 0.8g/L, carbosulfan @ 2ml/L and profenofos @ 1ml/L in the present study. Results
indicated that T2 (Mancozeb 0.25%, Tricyclazole 0.1% and Hexaconazole 0.1%) recorded least PDI (29.58) followed by
T1 (Mancozeb 0.25% Propiconazole 0.1% Copper oxychloride 0.1%) (43.54 PDI) and maximum PDI 61.63 was
observed in T3 control. The yield was significantly superior in T2 37.99 t/ha with B:C value of 1.83 followed by T1 with

Original Article
33.25 t/ha and minimum yield 26.34 t/ha was recorded in control (T3).The study revealed that combined sprays of
fungicides and insecticides effectively managed the disease as well as increased yield of onion

KEYWORDS: Chemical Management, Onion & Twister Disease

Received: Dec 19, 2016; Accepted: Jan 24, 2017; Published: Jan 28, 2017; Paper Id.: IJASRFEB201745

INTRODUCTION

Onion (Allium cepa L.) rightly called as queen of kitchen is one of the oldest known and an important
vegetable crop grown in India. It belongs to the family Alliaceae. Several factors have been identified for the low
productivity of onion in India. The most important factors responsible are the diseases like purple blotch, downy
mildew, Stemphylium blight and now twister disease.

Onion twister, a disease of rainy season onion, was first reported near Zaria, north Nigeria, in 1969
(Ebenebe, 1980). Kuruppu, (1999) reported the disease on shallot onions, Allium cepa var. ascalonicum, that
caused yield losses of up to 20 to 30% in Kalpitiya Peninsula in the North Western Province of Sri Lanka. Both
seed and bulb crop were infected with disease severity of 20-30 and 50-70 per cent respectively.

In the recent years, twister disease caused by F. oxysporum. and C. gloeosporioides has become epidemic
on onion crop in coastal tract and other onion growing districts in Karnataka. This disease vernacularly in Srilanka
called as Disco, in Indonesia Seven whorl and in Karnataka as Haavu suruli roga/Tirupu roga. This disease causing
heavy yield loss, leads to shortage in supply to the market resulting in higher prices to a common man

In the absence of resistant cultivars, use of fungicides to manage the disease is an practice. When there is
outbreak of epidemic for any reason perhaps use of fungicides is one of the best options available. These
fungicides have to be used judiciously according to the need and kind of organism involved. Availability of new

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344 Suresh Patil & V. B. Nargund

fungicides necessitates evaluation of fungicides to know their efficacy and initiate spray schedule in field conditions.

The present studies were therefore, directed to throw some light to develop disease management strategies for
twister disease.Keeping importance of the above facts, the trial was conducted during to evaluate the combined efficacy of
contact and systemic fungicides with and without insecticides in sequential spray for the management against twister
disease of onion under Field condition during 2011 and 2012 at MARS Dharwad.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The trial was conducted during kharif 2011and 2012 on variety Arka kalyan at MARS Dharwad. The size of bed
was kept 5.0 X 1.2 m (6 lines).The randomized block design was followed with six replications. Eight weeks old seedlings
were transplanted at spacing of 15.0cm x 10.0cm. The spraying of the fungicides and insecticides was started after 30 DAT
(days after transplanting) as per treatments. A total of 3 sprays were given at 15 days intervals at 30,45 and 60 DAT.
The standard agronomical practices were followed uniformly in all the treatments. The data were recorded on incidence
after 30, 40, 50, 60 and 70 DAT of the seedlings and also the gross and marketable yield of onion bulbs. Disease scoring of
disease was done by using 0-5scale and the intensity or percent disease index (PDI) was drawn as per standard. First spray
was taken up after 30 days of transplanting.

Table 1: Details of the Treatments are given below

Treatment First Spray (30 DAT) Second Spray (45 DAT) Third Spray (60 DAT)
T1 Mancozeb 0.25% Propiconozole 0.1% Copperoxychloride 0.25%
T2 Mancozeb 0.25% Tricyclazole 0.1% Hexaconazole 0.1%
T3 Untreated check (C) -- --
T4 Methomyl 0.8 g/L Carbosulfan 2 ml/L Profenophos 1 ml/L

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Management of disease under field condition is high in the agenda of crop disease management since many times
it becomes a sole dependent weapon when there is sudden outbreak of epidemic and is of great concern to all.The data of
trials conducted duringkharif 2011 and 2012 at Dharwad for management of twister disease of onion using five fungicides
viz., mancozeb @ 0.25%, copper oxychloride @ 0.25%, tricyclazole @ 0.1,% propiconozole @ 0.1% and hexaconazole
@ 0.1% along with unsprayed control and a separate control for insect managementpresented in table1revealed that the
spray of fungicides alone and in combination with insecticides significantly reduced disease incidence over untreated
check.

The results indicated that T2 (Mancozeb 0.25% Tricyclazole 0.1% Hexaconazole 0.1%) recorded least PDI
(29.58) followed by T1 (Mancozeb 0.25% Propiconazole 0.1% Copper oxy chloride 0.1%) (43.54 PDI) and maximum
PDI 61.63 was observed in T3 control. The yield was significantly superior in T2 (Mancozeb 0.25% Tricyclazole 0.1%
Hexaconazole 0.1%) (37.99 t/ha) followed by T1 (Mancozeb 0.25% Propiconazole 0.1% Copper oxy chloride 0.1%)
(33.25 t/ha) and minimum yield 26.34 t/ha was recorded in control (T3).

The present result indicates the use of alternate fungicides in management of twister disease is preferred. Further
it indicated the ineffectiveness of insecticides in the management of twister disease. As discussed earlier, mancozeb,
hexaconazole, copperoxychloride and tricycazole were effective against Colletotrichum spp. and Fusarium sp.

Impact Factor (JCC): 4.8136 NAAS Rating: 4.13

Field Efficacy of Chemicals for the Management of Twister Disease of Onion 345

CONCLUSIONS

Gupta and Srivastava (1993) evaluated fungicides and insecticides combinations for the control of purple blotch
disease and thrips in onion seed crop and found mancozeb @ 0.25% + monocrotophos @ 0.05% as an effective
combination for the control of foliar pathogens. Vijaya and Rahman (2004) reported that four sprays of mancozeb @ 0.3%
with monocrotophos @ 0.05% was best and recorded least incidence of purple blotch. Gupta and Pandey(2011) reported
that propiconazole and mancozeb sprays at fifteen days intervals could effectively control the foliar diseases of onion.
Mathur and Sharma (2006) reported that spray of mancozeb @ 0.2% and copper oxychloride @ 0.3% thrice at fifteen days
intervals proved significantly superior in reducing purple blotch and stemphylium blight as well as increasing the yield of
onion bulbs.

REFERENCES

1. Ebenebe, A. C. (1980). Onion twister disease caused by Glomerella cingulata in northern Nigeria. Pl. Dis. 64 : 1030-1032.

2. Gupta, R.P. and Srivastava, P.K. (1993). Studies on the intervals and quantity of solution of mancozeb for mixed pesticides on
the control of diseases and thrips insects pests of Kharif onion. AADF News Letter 13(1): 12-14.

3. Kuruppu, P. U., (1998).Anthracnose and onion twister are serious diseases of raining season. Thai Phytopath 8 (3-4) :
97-104.

4. Kuruppu, P. U., (1999). First Report of Fusarium oxysporum causing a leaf twisting disease on Allium cepa var.
ascalonicum in Sri Lanka, Disease Notes Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge 83 (7) : 695

5. Mathur, K. and Sharma, S.N. (2006). Evaluation of fungicides against Alternaria porri and Stemphylium vesicarium disease
of onion in Rajasthan. J. of Mycol. and Pl. Pathol.36(2):323-324.

6. Vijaya, M. and Rahman, M.A. (2004). Efficacy of fungicides in control of leaf blight disease of onion (Allium cepa L.). J. of
Mycol. and Pl. Pathol. 34(2): 654-655.

APPENDICES
Table 2: Field Efficacy of Chemicals for the Management of Twister
Disease of Onion during Kharif 2011 and 2012 at Dharwad

* Arc sine values

DAT: Days after transplanting

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