Vol. 9, Special Issue 12, Part H (2025)

For five years, from 2016 to 2021, farmer's fields in Santhanpara, Udumbanchola, Vandanmedu, Nedumkandam, Kattapana, Rajakadu, and Rajakumari village of Idukki District in Kerala were used for field trials on the management of Phytophthora and rhizome rot diseases in small cardamom using various treatments of chemicals, biological agents, and biofertilizer. The treatments included spraying of 1% Bordeaux mixture (T₁), spraying with Bordeaux mixture and drenching of Fosetyl Al 80% WP (T₂), soil application of Trichoderma along with FYM (T₃), spraying of Potassium Phosphonate 3ml/l and drenching of Arka Microbial Consortium(AMC) 10 g per lit (T₄) and untreated control (T₅). For each treatment, 400 small cardamom plants were taken. AMC was drenched four times, during May-June, August-September, November-December and January-February months. The observations on percent capsule rot, rhizome rot and root rot (%) were recorded. The percent was calculated at five areas (1.0 square meter) randomly selected in the area of small cardamom. The least capsule rot (4.23%), rhizome rot (5.14%), leaf infection (3.15%) was observed in the treatment involving spraying of Potassium Phosphonate and drenching of Arka Microbial Consortium. The highest capsule rot (65.1%), rhizome rot (51.8%), leaf infection (42.3%) of Phytophthora and Rhizome rot was observed in untreated check which was followed by the treatments T₁, T₂, T₃.