Author(s): N. MUDI, K. BARUI, N. GAYEN, S. H. ANSARY AND A. CHOWDHURY

Abstract: Potato is the most profitable crop of Hooghly district, determining the livelihood of most of the farmers’ of the district. Many years, the farmers face havoc loss due to severe infestation of late blight disease of potato caused by Phytophthora infestans which results drastic reduction of production. Though there are several effective fungicides available in the market to manage the disease, but due to not having the proper knowledge about the mode of action and proper spray schedule of different fungicides many of the farmers were unable to manage this disease when it appears in epiphytotic form. After surveying a good number of farmers and realizing the significance of controlling the devastating disease for the sustainability of potato production and ensuring the more profit, Hooghly Krishi Vigyan Kendra conducted a field experiments as On Farm Trial mode for two years during 2008-09 and 2009-10 in farmers’ field of Hooghly district of West Bengal, India during Rabi season to assess the performance of different fungicides to control late blight disease of potato. Details of technologies assessment/refinement includes, spray of Copper Oxychlorides @ 4g l-1 starting from 30 DAP alternating with Metalaxyl-Mancozeb @ 2.5g l-1 at 10-15 days intervals, seed treatment with Mancozeb @ 2g kg-1 of seed and spray of Mancozeb @ 2g l-1 starting from 30 DAP alternating with Cymoxanil-Mancozeb 3g l-1 at 10-15 days intervals, Seed treatment with Trichoderma viride @ 5g kg-1 of seed and spray of Mancozeb @ 2g l-1 starting from 30 DAP alternating with Dimethomorph @ 1g l-1 + Mancozeb 2g l-1 at 10-15 days intervals along with Farmers Practice i.e. spray with Mancozeb @ 2.5gl-1 starting from onset at 10 days intervals. It has been observed that during both the years of experimental period TO-II (seed treatment with Mancozeb @ 2g kg-1 of seed and spray with Mancozeb @ 2g l-1 starting from 30 DAP alternating with Cymoxanil-Mancozeb 3g l-1 at 10-15 days intervals) was found as the best treatment because it was most effective to prevent and manage the late blight disease of potato than any other treatments resulting lowest disease severity, highest yield, highest net return, and highest incremental C:B ratio of 16.78 %, 32.35 t ha-1, Rs. 65,375.00 and 16.94 respectively.

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