Treatment Yellowing index/plant **Average fresh wt (g) of rhizomes % loss in fresh wt of rhizomes 14 days* 28 days 14 days 28 days 14 days 28 days Untreated Non inoculated 0 0 34.50 ± 1.55 46.00 ± 1.29     Inoculated 1.16 2.20 30.85 ± 1.17 31.00 ± 0.91 10.57 ± 0.68 32.60 ± 0.30 Treated with SA (5 mM) Non inoculated 0 0 32.00 ± 1.47 42.87 ± 1.16     Inoculated 0.50 0.83 30.67 ± 1.34 39.35 ± 2.11 4.15 ± 1.92 8.21 ± 2.72 Treated with ALE (10%) Non inoculated 0 0 33.20 ± 1.00 44.00 ± 1.58     Inoculated 0.28 0.71 32.35 ± 1.96 41.32 ± 0.75 2.56 ± 1.40 6.09 ± 1.71 CD at 5%         4.10 6.52 CD at 1%         5.76 9.37

SA: Salicylic acid; ALE: Acalypha leaf extract *Days after inoculation **Average of 4 replicate rhizome seeds/treatment

Table 2: Effect of selected plant defence activators (SA and ALE) on disease development.