Efficacy of Organically Acceptable Fungicides for Management of Early and Late Leaf Spot Diseases on Partially Resistant Peanut Cultivars

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out in Georgia and North Carolina to evaluate the efficacy of fungicides approved for the organic management of early leaf spot, caused by Cercospora arachidicola, and late leaf spot, caused by Cercosporidium personatum, in peanut (Arachis hypogaea) fields planted to cultivars with partial resistance to one or both pathogens. Copper treatments alone or in mixtures resulted in less disease than a non-treated control. In Georgia, sulfur provided some disease suppression, but not as much as treatments with copper sulfate. Neem oil did not affect disease severity. Mean pod yields across years were significantly greater than the non-treated control only for copper sulfate in Georgia and cupric hydroxide in North Carolina. The minimal yield response to treatments suggests that under similar situations, the frequency of copper-based fungicide applications may be reduced with little affect on yield. Accepted for publication 16 January 2008. Published 17 March 2008.