Substrate Competition for space and Nutrients:Fusarium proliferatumcompetes with the pathogens by colonizing a large area of the affected leaf zone and competes for the plant substrates and nutrients thereby causing the pathogens to starve - Domino effect.
Mycoparasitism:Fusarium proliferatumpenetrates the pathogen and infects it and derives nutrition from the target pathogenic fungus protoplasm and Downycarespores multiply inside target pathogenic fungus body and eventually kill the mildew colony.
Enzyme production:Fusarium proliferatumproduces certain enzymes which dissolve the host cell wall and penetrate and inactivate the host defense mechanism.
- Downycareeffectively controls an economically important fungal disease- Downy mildew.
- Pathogenic fungi load reduction leads to improved plant health and thereby increased crop productivity.
- Downycarecan be used as an effective component in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programmes, thereby leading to a reduction in use of chemical pesticides and creating a safer environment.
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