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With
the growing awareness about pesticidal hazards, research emphasis has
been shifted towards alternative pest management strategies. Farmers'
field experiments were conducted in Myagdi and Dadeldhura to assess the
potentiality of nettle extract in controlling alternaria blight of broad
leaf mustard during 2001/2002. In both the locations, the experiments
were laid out in randomized complete block (RCB) design with five treatments
replicated 4 to 5 times across farms. Various formulations of nettle extracts
were applied according to randomization over the foliage of crop grown
under farmers' practice. In both the locations, the plot sprayed with
20% fresh nettle extract had lowest area under disease progress curve
followed by the plot sprayed with 20% fermented nettle extract. On the
average, the plot sprayed with 20% fresh nettle extract yielded highest
followed by the plot sprayed with 20% fermented nettle extract, while
the control plot yielded least. The result indicated that nettle at higher
concentration (20%) could reduce the incidence of alternaria blight as
well as increase the seed yield of broad leaf mustard. It can be inferred
from the results of the on-farm trials that nettle extract sprays can
be profitably applied in the seed crop of broadleaf mustard where the
opportunity cost of farm labour is lower than the value of 0.8 kg of broadleaf
mustard seed. |
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