Control of foliar diseases of groundnut using inorganic and metal saltsG KKishoreauthorSPandeauthorJ NRaoauthorLate leaf spot (LLS) caused by Phaeoisariopsis personata and rust caused by Puccinia arachidis are the two major foliar diseases of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) which usually occur together and significantly reduce the crop yield (Subrahmanyam et al. 1995). Desirable levels of host plant resistance against these two diseases are not available in cultivars commonly grown by farmers. Fungicidal control of LLS and rust is expensive and requires alternative strategies for management of these destructive diseases. Several inorganic and metal salts possess antifungal activity and control pre-harvest and postharvest diseases caused by pathogenic fungi (Reuveni et al. 1995, Olivier et al. 1998). These chemicals were also proved to elicit the plant defense mechanisms against invasion of pathogenic fungi (Gamil 1995). We studied the effects of 33 inorganic and metal salts on the germination of conidia of P.personata and urediniosporcs of P. arachidis under in vitro conditions and the efficacy of selected salts to reduce the incidence of LLS and rust in detached leaf bioassay.Groundnut2001International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid TropicsArticle