Articles
MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR FUNGAL DISEASES IN PASSION FRUIT PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN KENYA
Article number
911_20
Pages
207 – 213
Language
English
Abstract
Diseases have been reported to cause yield losses of 80-100% in passion fruit production systems in Kenya.
These include, brown spot (Alternaria passiflorae), anthracnose (Colletotrichum passiflorae), crown/collar rot (Fusarium solani), wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. passiflorae), dieback (Fusarium spp. and Phytophthora nicotianae var. parasitica) and passion fruit woodiness virus disease complex.
Surveys were conducted in passion fruit growing regions of Kenya, to collect information on disease prevalence, severity and crop management practices carried out by farmers.
Brown spot and dieback diseases affected passion fruit most commonly across 8 districts with 55-100 and 64-100% of the farms having the two diseases, respectively.
Farmers were interrogated on management strategies used to ensure their crops are disease free and healthy.
Investigations revealed that over 50% of the farmers did not undertake field sanitation measures that reduce disease inoculum in fields, such as pruning , burning of infected plant parts and disinfection of tools used on the farms.
Such measures could reduce pathogen.
It was also realised that most farmers did not frequently scout for initial disease symptoms on their farms so as to control them promptly.
Control strategies were applied when plants were already under high disease pressure.
These factors led to a rapid spread of fungal diseases.
Incidences of Fusarium wilt disease were relatively lower than those of brown spot and dieback.
This was attributed to the planting of seedlings that had been grafted onto yellow passion fruit rootstocks, which are known to be tolerant to Fusarium wilt.
This study emphasizes the need to educate farmers on the importance of field sanitation in minimising disease incidences and spread and to boost crop health through the use of fertilizers and manure.
These include, brown spot (Alternaria passiflorae), anthracnose (Colletotrichum passiflorae), crown/collar rot (Fusarium solani), wilt (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. passiflorae), dieback (Fusarium spp. and Phytophthora nicotianae var. parasitica) and passion fruit woodiness virus disease complex.
Surveys were conducted in passion fruit growing regions of Kenya, to collect information on disease prevalence, severity and crop management practices carried out by farmers.
Brown spot and dieback diseases affected passion fruit most commonly across 8 districts with 55-100 and 64-100% of the farms having the two diseases, respectively.
Farmers were interrogated on management strategies used to ensure their crops are disease free and healthy.
Investigations revealed that over 50% of the farmers did not undertake field sanitation measures that reduce disease inoculum in fields, such as pruning , burning of infected plant parts and disinfection of tools used on the farms.
Such measures could reduce pathogen.
It was also realised that most farmers did not frequently scout for initial disease symptoms on their farms so as to control them promptly.
Control strategies were applied when plants were already under high disease pressure.
These factors led to a rapid spread of fungal diseases.
Incidences of Fusarium wilt disease were relatively lower than those of brown spot and dieback.
This was attributed to the planting of seedlings that had been grafted onto yellow passion fruit rootstocks, which are known to be tolerant to Fusarium wilt.
This study emphasizes the need to educate farmers on the importance of field sanitation in minimising disease incidences and spread and to boost crop health through the use of fertilizers and manure.
Publication
Authors
R.L. Amata, M.J. Otipa, M. Waiganjo, L.A. Wasilwa, J. Kinoti, S. Kyamanywa, M. Erbaugh
Keywords
Fusarium spp., Phytophthora nicotiana var. parasitica, field sanitation
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