Influence of Cropping System on the Incidence and Severity of Leaf Spot Disease of &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Telfairia occidentalis&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Hook f. Caused by &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Phoma sorghina&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;

Grace Annih Mbong,Lucy Ambang Agyingi,Nelomen Che Benedicte Tatiana,Nyenkuna Elisabeth Muluh,Sidonnie Eyambe Mbong,Andrew Kpu Kebei

doi:10.11648/j.ijaas.20210704.14

Influence of Cropping System on the Incidence and Severity of Leaf Spot Disease of &lt;i&gt;Telfairia occidentalis&lt;/i&gt; Hook f. Caused by &lt;i&gt;Phoma sorghina&lt;/i&gt;

Grace Annih Mbong, Lucy Ambang Agyingi + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijaas.20210704.14

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Abstract

Fungi infections are responsible for the major diseases that attack the fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook f.) in most areas where the crop is grown in Cameroon. This study aimed to inter-cropped Telfairia occidentalis Hook f. with the Giant French variety of plantain and compared it with sole cropping to determine the effect of the cropping system on the incidence and severity of leaf spot disease caused by Phoma sorghina. We used different planting distances of fluted pumpkins in the two cropping systems. We conducted the study between September 2017 and November 2018 at the Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences (FASA), University of Dschang, West Region, Cameroon. We used Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), with three replications consisting of six plots per replicate (a total of 18 plots per treatment). Fluted pumpkin was intercropped with the Giant French variety of plantain at a distance of both 1 m x 3 m and 1 m x 1.5 m apart for the sole cropping. We found a significant (P ≤ 0.05) difference in the incidence and severity of leaf spot disease associated with Phoma sp on the leaves and leaflets of fluted pumpkin in the two cultural practices using the pairwise comparison. Sole cropping of fluted pumpkin reduced the disease incidence and severity of leaf spot disease than fluted pumpkin inter-cropped Giant French variety of plantain. Therefore, the sole cropping of fluted pumpkins compared to intercropping with giant crops enhanced the production of the leaves and leaflets of fluted pumpkins. Additionally, the sole cropping of fluted pumpkin reduced the incidence and severity of leaf sport disease, including an improvement in the disease outcome.

Highlights

Telfairia occidentalis Hook F., commonly known as fluted pumpkin, is a tropical vine grown in Cameroon and the West African coast as a leafy vegetable and for its edible seeds
The disease incidence on the leaves of fluted pumpkin was generally high in the intercropping system compared to sole cropping (Table 2, Figure 5)
Comparing the disease incidence on the leaves of fluted pumpkin intercropped, it was observed that the incidence at 20 Weeks After Planting (WAP) was higher (with a standard deviation (SD) of 15.90 and mean of 51.35) compared to 17 WAP, 19 WAP, and 22 WAP respectively

Summary

Introduction

Telfairia occidentalis Hook F., commonly known as fluted pumpkin, is a tropical vine grown in Cameroon and the West African coast as a leafy vegetable and for its edible seeds. In the southern part of Cameroon, it is called "okonghobong." The plant is highly consumed in west Africa because of its unique characteristics and benefits. It is a drought-tolerant dioecious perennial crop usually grown as trellised [2]. It is a good source of organic acids, mineral salts, oils, vitamins, proteins, and carbohydrates [3]. The leaf extracts from this plant can be used to manage cholesterolemia, liver problems, including the management of people with impaired immunity [6]

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