Vol. 9, Special Issue 10, Part O (2025)

The study entitled “Integrated disease management of chickpea dry root rot caused by Rhizoctonia bataticola (Taub.) Butler” was conducted during Rabi 2023-24 at the Agricultural Research Farm, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Allied Industries, Rama University, Kanpur, to develop an eco-friendly strategy for managing dry root rot in chickpea. The objectives included isolation of the pathogen, evaluation of fungicides, bioagents, and organic amendments, and formulation of integrated management practices. The pathogen R. bataticola was isolated from diseased chickpea roots and maintained on PDA. Various seed treatments—Carbendazim, Tebuconazole, Captan + Hexaconazole, Carboxin + Thiram—and bioagents (Trichoderma harzianum and T. hamatum) were tested individually and in combination with organic amendments (safflower and cotton seed cakes) under screen house conditions. Significant variation was observed among treatments for pre-emergence seed rot, post-emergence mortality, and overall plant mortality. The integrated treatment comprising Carbendazim (3 g/kg seed) + T. harzianum (10 g/kg seed) + safflower seed cake (50 g/pot) exhibited the lowest average mortality (3.22%), followed by T. harzianum alone and Captan + Hexaconazole treatments. Untreated control recorded the highest mortality (42.32%). The results clearly established that integrated use of fungicides, bioagents, and organic amendments offers superior and sustainable management of dry root rot compared to individual components. This integrated approach minimizes chemical dependency, enhances soil health, and can be incorporated into chickpea production systems for long-term disease suppression.