Management Strategies for Charcoal Rot of Sesame: A Review

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) commonly known as til is one of the important oilseed crop having good nutritional, biomedical and religious value. It is also called as “Queen of oilseeds” and among the oilseed crops , sesame ranks first for its higher oil content with a dietary energy of 6335kcal/kg in seeds. The crop is attacked by several pathogens causing serious diseases and act as major damaging factor to sesame crop cultivated in the whole world with severe losses of 7million tones yearly. The important diseases of sesame include charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina, Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum), Phytophthora blight (Phytophthora parasitica) and phyllody (phytoplasma). Charcoal rot is caused by Macrophomina phaseolina has been a major threat to the successful cultivation of sesame in Haryana which causes about 5-100% loss. The pathogen being facultative in nature survives as microsclerotia in soil and infested plant debris that serve as the primary source of inoculum and have been found to persist within the soil up to three years.The pathogen not only persists in soil as saprophyte associated with other soil microorganisms but also transmitted through seed. Hence, it requires different management approaches to overcome this menace. So, keeping in view the present scenario ecofriendly management must be done by the use of botanicals and bio agents.