ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Sustain. Food Syst.
Sec. Agro-Food Safety
Sustainable Management of Alternaria Leaf Blight in Isabgol (Plantago ovata) Using Chitosan, Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes, and Salicylic Acid
Provisionally accepted
- 1Swami Keshwan and Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner 334006, Rajasthan, India
- 2Agriculture University Kota, Kota, India
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ABSTRACT Introduction: Alternaria leaf blight, caused by Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler, is one of the most destructive diseases of Isabgol (Plantago ovata Forsk). Conventional fungicide-based control raises environmental concerns and threatens long-term sustainability. Therefore, eco-friendly plant defense activators offer potential alternatives for sustainable disease management and food security. Methods: This study assessed the efficacy of chitosan, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and salicylic acid under both laboratory and field conditions. In vitro assays was conducted to evaluate mycelial inhibition, while field trials were carried out during two consecutive Rabi seasons (2022–23 and 2023–24) under Randomized Block Design (RBD) design at Swami Keshwanand Rajasthan Agricultural University, Bikaner, India. Treatments involved seed priming and foliar application at different concentrations. Results: In vitro, salicylic acid (200 ppm) and chitosan (150 ppm) exhibited the highest pathogen inhibition (67.14% and 62.60%, respectively), followed by MWCNTs (45.45% at 150 ppm). Field evaluations revealed that chitosan (100 ppm; seed treatment + foliar spray) significantly reduced disease severity (51.30%) and improved yield (805.29 kg/ha). Salicylic acid at 200 ppm provided the greatest overall benefit, with 55.60% disease control and the highest yield (837.06 kg/ha). The least effective treatment reduced disease by only 10.87% with a yield of 665.69 kg/ha. Conclusion: This study supports sustainable agriculture by integrating eco-friendly defense activators that reduce chemical fungicide dependence. Considering the Asia-Pacific context, such low-input, resource-efficient approaches can enhance smallholder resilience in arid and semi-arid ecosystems Key words: Plant defense activators, chitosan, salicylic acid, MWCNTs, Alternaria leaf blight, Isabgol
Keywords: Alternaria leaf blight, Chitosan, Isabgol, MWCNTs, Plant defense activators, Salicylic Acid
Received: 16 Aug 2025; Accepted: 01 Dec 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 CHOUDHARY, Yadav, Sharma and Ram. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: ANAND CHOUDHARY
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