Anthracnose intensity and per cent pod infection of cowpea in Beed district

The importance of pulses has been realized due to their high protein, better nutritional food, and fodder and soil enrichment qualities. Pulses have been considered as an integral part of our diet from time immemorial and have also found their reference in ancient scriptures such as Puranas and Mahabharata. The major fungal diseases of cowpea anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum destructivum. In this study all the botanicals, bioagents and fungicides tested against anthracnose disease of cowpea during Kharif 2013 and Kharif 2014 were found effective and significantly reduced the mean disease intensity and pod infection over unsprayed control. Anthracnose intensity and pod infection slightly increases in Kharif 2014 as compared to Kharif 2013.