Phasing out of methyl bromide has resulted in the need for alternative strategies for the management of soilborne pests and diseases. Among several bioactive molecules, glucosinolates from Brassicaceae and their enzymatic degradation products, especially isothiocyanates formed by myrosinase enzyme, stand out as a promising alternative biofumigants. The effectiveness of biocidal compounds released from brassica species {Sinapis alba L. (syn. Brassica alba L.), B. nigra L., B. napus L., B. rapa L., B. juncea L. and B. carinata} tissue degradation on Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris (Padwick) Matuo &amp; K.Sato (F.o.c; causal agent of chickpea wilt) growth in vitro, propagule attrition in soil and incidence of chickpea wilt in the field was carried out. Brassica alba L. was found to be the most toxic as it resulted in maximum percent mycelial growth inhibition of the pathogen followed by B. nigra L. &nbsp;and B. juncea L. tissues. Under glasshouse conditions, B. nigra was found most effective in reducing the colony forming units of the pathogen followed by B. alba L. and B. juncea L.. Lowest wilt severity under field conditions was observed in B. juncea L. tissues while greatest grain yield was produced in B. alba L. amended plots. The present study showed that the soil amendment with brassicas might be a feasible non-chemical approach to manage fusarium wilt of chickpea.

Management of fusarium wilt of chickpea using brassicas as biofumigants 
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The study was carried out to ascertain the effect of feeding water soaked rapeseed-mustard cake (RMC) based diet on the performance of lactating cows. Eighteen Holstein Friesian crossbred lactating cows were randomly allocated to 3 dietary treatments of 6 each viz. Control, RMC-dry and RMC-sani, respectively for an experimental period of 90 days. The glucosinolates (GLS) content of raw RMC was 149.50 &micro;mol/g DM and it gets reduced by 31.96 per cent to 101.72 &micro;mol/g DM in overnight water soaked (1:3 w/v ratio) RMC. The daily intake of concentrate and total DM by lactating cows did not differ significantly (P&gt;0.05) irrespective of the dietary treatments. The digestibility coefficient (%) of DM, OM, CP, EE, NDF and ADF; nutrient density (%) and intake (g/kgW0.75) of composite diets in terms of DCP and TDN did not differ significantly (P&gt;0.05) irrespective of dietary treatments. Milk yield and its basic quality parameters including milk fat, milk protein, total solids and SNF content were comparable among the dietary treatments. Though thiocyanate (CNS) concentration of blood serum (8.65 to 12.65 &micro;g/ml) and milk (24.77 to 39.84 &micro;g/ml) was significantly (P&lt;0.01) increased in RMC fed groups as compared to control, it was significantly (P&lt;0.01) reduced in RMC-sani as compared to RMC-dry. The serum T3 (2.07 - 2.15 nmol/L) and T4 (70.62 - 73.67 nmol/L) concentrations were comparable among the dietary treatments. Alongwith substantial reduction in the GLS content of water soaked RMC, no adverse effect could be noticed by feeding raw or water soaked RMC based diet on the performance of lactating cows and CNS excretion in the body fluids get reduced by dose dependent intake of dietary GLS. &nbsp;

Management of fusarium wilt of chickpea using brassicas as biofumigants

Effect of feeding water soaked rapeseed-mustard cake (Brassica juncea) based diet on the performance of lactating cows