Abstract:
Chili (Capsicum annuum) is a major, nutritionally rich, important, and commercial condiment
crop. MI2 is known for its high pungency and demand in Sri Lanka. Recently chili plants have been
affected by Sclerotium rolfsii. Therefore, this research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of
different biochar applications on chilli stem rot disease by developing a low cost and
environmentally sound disease- controlling method and improving the usage of biochar as
disease controlling practice. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design
(RCBD) with 3 replicates with seven treatments. The selected variety was MI2 and 40 plants were
sown at the rate of two seedlings per hole. Paddy husk, mango sawdust, and coconut shell base
biochar were used as treatments at two different application rates (1kgm-2 and 2kgm-2). Biochar
was mixed with the soil as an amendment. The sick plot method was used to inoculate the
pathogen. It is a common method to assess the health and performance of plant to unfavorable
conditions. Disease incidence, plant height and pod yield were recorded. Results revealed that,
least number of disease (5.83±3.82) % in T2 (2Kg/m2 paddy husk biochar) while the
(40.00±6.61)% in T5 (coconut shells bio char 1Kg/m 2). The number of pods yield (70.00±1.00)
and plant height (54.56±1.125) cm were also significantly higher T2(paddy husk biochar 2
Kg/m2) treated plants. The lowest number of pods yield (52.66±1.52) and plant height
(44.65±3.58) cm was in T5 (coconut shell biochar 1Kg/m2) except the control. Therefore, this
study, 2 Kg/m2 paddy husk biochar is good for reducing chilli stem rot disease incidence. As future
works, it is better to conduct field trials using sawdust of other species such as palu (Manilkara
hexandra) and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) to improve the effectiveness of biochar
application.
