Identification of the Causal Agent of Bacterial Soft Rot of Chillies and its Management

Abstract

It's no doubt that chilli peppers are a lucrative cash crop for farmers all around the globe. Heavy crop losses were incurred as a result of the many variables that affected chilli crop productivity, such as the weather, insect pests, soil quality, and a lack of good producing cultivars. However, abiotic and biotic elements pose the most significant risk to the chilli crops, while biotic factors account for significant annual losses. The damage caused by bacteria is greater than that caused by any other kind of infection. Infectious soft rot of chillies, a significant issue caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum, poses a considerable challenge. Through biochemical and physiological testing, the pathogen responsible for soft rot in chillies was identified and declared as Pectobacterium carotovorum spp. caratovora. To assess the pathogenicity, a mechanical inoculation approach was employed in conducting tests on healthy chillies. Moreover, the study explores the management of pathogen through essential oil (Neem oil, Mint oil, Lemon oil and Cinnamon oil) were prepared by using varied concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15% and treatment of fifth kept as control. All the concentrations were prepared and were applied against Pectobacterium carotovorum causative agent of soft rot of chillies on nutrient agar inoculating plates for their efficacy. Mint showed highest value of 18.33% inhibition zone, while Lemon found less effective with minimum inhibition zone of 1.79%. Although, the study was in-vitro but it can be very helpful for better management in-vivo condition as well.