Study on Efficient Treatments for Controlling Pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 (Foc TR4) Causing Fusarium Wilt of Cavendish Banana

Abstract

The effective treatments for controlling Fusarium wilt in Cavendish banana. were investigated. The objective of the study was to compare the efficacy of biological, chemical and natural material treatments for controlling pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense Tropical race 4 (Foc TR4) causing Fusarium wilt in Cavendish banana, at Chiangsaen Plant Quarantine Station, Chiang Rai Province from October 2020 to September 2021. Results revealed that all 5 treatments namely, calcium oxide, CaO (1 g/200 ml), ashes (1 g/200 ml), Trichoderma harzianum-DOA (107 spores/ml), Bacillus subtilis (3 g/L) and captan (3 g/L) were effective in controlling Foc TR4. Treated plants showed 35% - 50% disease severity which was statistically significant (p < 0.01) different from 100 % disease incidence
of the control treatment that received only Foc TR4 inoculation. Rhizosphere soil samples of each treatment were determined for the population of Foc TR4. Results showed that in treated soils the population of Foc TR4 was ranged from 1.8 x 102 to 25 x 102 CFU/g whereas the population of Foc TR4 control treatment was 1.3 x 103 CFU/g. Results of the experiment suggested that, adding calcium oxide, ash, T. harzianum-DOA, B. subtilis or captan in the bottom of the pit or mixing the soil around the Cavendish banana alone or in combination would reduce the severity of Fusarium wilt.