Effect of Intercropping and Compost Application for the Management of Common Bean Anthracnose ( Colletotrichum lindemuthianum ) in North Shewa, Central Ethiopia

Abstract

Common bean is grown for its high nutritive, medicinal and market value in Ethiopia. Anthracnose is among the major production constraint within central common bean producing regions of Ethiopia. Field experiments were conducted on two common bean varieties Awash Melka and Mexican 142 at Shewarobit and Ataye in 2016 and 2017 main cropping seasons with the objective of evaluating the effects of row intercropping, compost plus their integration on disease severity of common bean anthracnose. Field experiments revealed maximum disease severity on highly susceptible variety Mexican 142 than Awash Melka at both locations and during both cropping seasons. Significantly, the lowest (26.9%) mean final anthracnose severity was obtained from the integration of intercropping with compost application at Ataye during 2017 and (562% day) mean area under disease progress curve was obtained from the integration of intercropping with compost application at Shewarobit during 2017. Whereas significantly the highest (39%) mean final disease, severity and (849% day) mean AUDPC were recorded from the sole planting control plots in 2016 at Shewarobit. Integration of intercropping with compost application as ecofriendly disease management option was the appropriate management option of common bean anthracnose in the study area. Further studies of integrating management options need to be conducted to reduce the residual effects of agrochemicals.