ECO-FRIENDLY APPROACHES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF OKRA YELLOW VEIN MOSAIC VIRUS DISEASE (OYVMVD) INCIDENCE.

Okra is an important vegetable crop consumed as fresh and canned food. Okra yellow vein mosaic virus (OYVMV) causes the most devastating disease in terms of quality and quantity of the produce. OYVMV is transmitted by whitefly (Bemisia tabaci Genn.). As no viricide is available, viral diseases are controlled indirectly by using insecticides against their vectors. Extensive use of insecticides poses a great threat to the environmental safety causing air, water and soil pollution. In order to avoid the environmental deterioration different eco-friendly approaches were used against the OYVMVD. These approaches include resistant source, nutritional management and plant extracts. In order to find out the resistant source against the OYVMVD seven okra varieties were phenotypically screened. None of the variety was found to be immune against OYVMVD. Chinese Red and Ikra-3 gave highly resistant response. Green Wonder and PMS-Beauty were regarded as resistant. Selection-31, Laxmy and Parbhani Kranti were moderately resistant. Different nutrients and plant growth regulators were evaluated for the management of OYVMVD. NPK solution and neem extract were the most effective among nutrients and plant extracts respectively followed by the other treatments in terms of reducing the OYVMVD incidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]