WILT DISEASE OF ARABICA COFFEE (<I>COFFEA ARABICA</I> LINN.) AND EVALUATION OF FUNGICIDES TO CONTROL THE DISEASE
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Abstract
A wilt disease of Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica Linn.) was studied in 1988 to determine the prevalence and its causal agent in a coffee orchard at Samoeng, Chiang Mai. A total of 2,500 coffee plants was observed for the symptoms of the disease. Counting revealed the incidence of diseased plants of 808 plants or 32.32%. Isolation of diseased samples indicated that the organisms involved were Fusarium solani, F. decemcellulare and F. semitectum. Most of diseased plants invariably had the typical symptoms of attack by the stem borer (Xylotrechus quadripes, Cerambycidae) at lower part of stem. It also remains obscure whether the borer is itself responsible for the introduction of the fungus into the damaged tissue, or whether the fungus is spread by air or water splash. Six fungicides were screened in this study for the effectiveness in controlling the disease in the laboratory and field conditions. Some chemicals like Pronto-40, Benlate and Baccin were gave the good results in the laboratory but all were not effective in the field. Artificial inoculation done in the laboratory could not reproduce the symptoms as observed in natural conditions
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References
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