ABSTRACT
Fusarium or root rot, the main disease affecting black pepper, leads to severe production limitation caused by the fungus (Fusarium solani f. sp. piperis). The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of crude aqueous extracts and fungicide on the control of fusariosis in black pepper. The percentage of F. solani mycelial inhibition in Petri dishes with PDA medium supplemented with crude aqueous leaf extracts (EBA) of black pepper, cassava, castor bean, coriander and bitter melon were evaluated at the concentrations 5, 10, 15 and 20% (v/v). Control was the plate containing PDA medium without addition of any product. To evaluate the effect of extracts on the development of fusariosis, black pepper seedlings were inoculated with the pathogen and sprayed with 20 mL crude aqueous extracts of bitter melon and cassava at the concentrations 10 and 15%. The fungicide carbendazim was brushed as paste on the stems of plants at one dose (0.2 g.100 mL-1). The disease incidence was evaluated 30 days after inoculation. Results showed that the extracts of bitter melon and cassava at the concentrations 10 and 15% provided the highest percentages of mycelial inhibition (61.01 and 57.61% and 51.55 and 55.48%, respectively). The EBA of bitter melon at the concentration of 15% and the fungicide were efficient in reducing fusariosis incidence in black pepper seedlings.
Keywords
Piper nigrum; natural product; fungal disease control
