PJB-2023-190
COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF COMMERCIAL FUNGICIDES AND TRICHODERMA HARZIANUM AGAINST FUSARIUM WILT IN STRAWBERRY
Abdul Hannan
Abstract
Cultivation of strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) is surging among Pakistani farmers due to its profit ratio compared to other traditional crops. This crop is attacked by various pathogens responsible for low yield. The current study's objective was to identify a better approach to managing Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. fragariae (Schlecht) in the field. Firstly efficacy of eight fungicides was evaluated by the poison agar technique against colony growth of F. oxysporum f.sp fragariae in-vitro. Among tested chemicals, four (Score, Topsin-M, Avito and Carbendazim) were found to inhibit pathogen growth compared with control significantly. Later, the effectiveness of four different isolates of Trichoderma harzianum was also evaluated through dual culture technique against F. oxysporum f.sp fragariae. However, only one isolate of T. harzianum was found to suppress pathogen growth. Subsequently, four fungicides and an isolate of T. harzianum were evaluated in the greenhouse. Later, three chemicals (Score, Topsin-M and Carbendazim) and biocontrol isolate were subjected to field evaluation using artificial inoculation in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). All three chemicals controlled wilt disease with varying degree of success. The mean results of field trials indicated that Topsin-M gave 88.0%, T. harzianum 80.0%, while Carbendazim and Score showed 72.0% protection in the filed after 42 days. Topsin-M was most effective, followed by T. harzianum and can be applied to manage Fusarium wilt of strawberry confidently.
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