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COMPARATIVE  EFFICACY  OF A  RED  ALGA SOLIERIA ROBUSTA, CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES IN MANAGING THE ROOT DISEASES AND GROWTH OF SOYBEAN

VIQAR SULTANA¹, GHULAM NABI BALOCH², AMBREEN¹, JEHAN ARA³, M. RAJPUT TARIQ⁴ AND SYED EHTESHAMUL-HAQUE²

Abstract: Application of seaweed as soil amendment for the control of soilborne plant diseases   has increased in recent years due to their environment friendly role. In screen house study, a red seaweed Solieria robusta used as soil amendment showed  better suppressive effect on root rotting fungus Fusarium solani than Topsin-M, a fungicide, but was found less effective than Topsin-M against Macrophomina phaseolina and  Rhizoctonia solani  on soybean. Solieria robusta showed similar suppressive effect on root knot nematode as did carbofuran, a nematicide. Seaweed showed slightly better effect on plant growth than urea or potash by producing taller plants, better root length  and number of flowers  per plant. However, mixed application of S.robusta and Topsin-M produced greater number of flowers per plant and tallest plants.

¹Biotechnology & Drug Development Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Karachi

²Agricultural Biotechnology & Phytopathology Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Karachi

³Post Harvest Technology & Food Biochemistry Laboratory, Department of Food Science & Technology, University of Karachi

⁴M.A.H. Qadri Biological Research Centre, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan