Abstract
Disease management strategies using synthetic chemicals are expensive, hazardous and environmentally unfriend-ly and have necessitated the search for alternatives in biological agents with antimicrobial properties. This re-search was aimed at assessing the effectiveness of Bacillus thuringiensis and avocado seed powder applied either as soil amendments and/or seed coatings on Fusarium root rot of potted okra. Fusarium oxysporum isolated from diseased okra plants was used to inoculate the pots. The experiment was a completely randomized design (CRD) replicated eight times. Data were collected on percentage germination, disease incidence and plant growth param-eters such as shoot weight, root weight, shoot length and root length. Results showed significant (P = 0.002) differ-ence among treatments with the hybrid seeds having the highest percentage germination of 94% followed by soil treated with avocado seed powder (85%) and their effect differed significantly from the control. In terms of dis-ease incidence, hybrid seeds, seed coating or soil treatment with avocado and soil treatment with Bt all controlled the disease giving incidence values of 26%, 25%, 18% and 16%, respectively, which differed from the control pots (41%). Shoot length was significant (P = 0.049 and P = 0.007) at both assessments where hybrid seeds constantly maintained the tallest plants. Since the treatments suppressed the incidence of root rot disease, the use of these treatments is advocated for effective management of Fusarium root rot disease.
Highlights
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) is affected by root rot disease caused by Fusarium spp and this has contributed significantly to low yields and death of plants (Rahim et al, 1992; Ahmad et al, 2014)
Results of the seed viability test showed that the percentage seed germination of hybrid seeds ranged from 95-100% while that of the local variety was 90%, confirming that the seeds used in the experiment were viable
Where; Sc + Av = seed coated with avocado, St + Av = soil treatment with avocado, St + Bt = soil treated with B. thuringiensis (Bt)
Summary
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) is affected by root rot disease caused by Fusarium spp and this has contributed significantly to low yields and death of plants (Rahim et al, 1992; Ahmad et al, 2014). Fusarium is a soil inhabiting pathogen that attacks a large number of host plants (Ahmad et al, 2012; Waheed et al, 2013; Ahmad et al, 2014). Plant materials and biological control agents have been explored to their potentials against these soil-borne pathogens with huge success. Avocado (Persea americana) has an edible fruit, which has been used as phytotherapic source and has been traditionally used in mycoses and parasitic infections. They contain various classes of natural products such as, phytosterols, triterpenes, fatty acids and furanoic acids some of which are related with antifungal activity and larvicidal effects (Leite et al, 2009). The secondary metabolites produced by Bacillus spp. have been found to show antibacterial and/or anti-
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