MANAGEMENT OF HOST-PARASITE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN BAMBARA GROUNDNUT AND Fusarium WILT INDUCER

Abstract

Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc) is an excellent source of human and animal foodstuff and pharmaceutical resources but its production is hampered by fungi diseases. Synthetic pesticides, botanicals and bio-control sub-trials were conducted in vitro to control Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. voandzeia. The sub-trials were each set up using completely randomized design with three replications. Data were collected on radius of the growth and area covered by the colonies. Percentage inhibition of F. oxysporium (at 120 hours after inoculation (HAI)) using Trichoderma isolates ranged from 16 – 87%. Significantly (P ≤ 0.05) less area of medium was covered by the pathogen due to presence of T. harzianum NSBM, T. harzianum AIM16, T. harzianum AIM5, T. harzianum BGMP, T. virens BGMZ2, T. harzianum ZXMZ isolates and check compared to the control. Percentage inhibition of F. oxysporium (at 144 HAI) using Mancozeb and Copper(I)oxide+Metalaxyl ranged from 26 – 100% and both pesticides inhibited Fusarium significantly (P ≤ 0.05) more than the control. Percentage inhibition of F. oxysporum (at 144 HAI) using Eucalyptus, mahogany and cashew gums ranged from 5 – 100%. Eucalyptus 100% controlled F. oxysporum significantly more than all other treatments followed by the check, Eucalyptus 10% and Mahogany 100% (which were at par).