Abstract:
Hot pepper is one of the most important vegetables that serve as the source of income particularly for smallholder farmers in many parts of rural Ethiopia but its production is hindered by biotic and abiotic factors. Among biotic factors fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporium is the most important disease challenging hot pepper production. Hence the objective of the study was to assess the prevalence and incidence of hot pepper fusarium wilt and to evaluate the combined effect of varieties and fungicides against the fusarium wilt at Jabitehnan District, Northwest Ethiopia. The field assessment was conducted during the main cropping season of 2021 a total of 210 farmer fields at six Kebele. Data of the survey revealed that 100% mean wilt prevalence and 60.88% mean wilt incidence of the district were observed. The hot pepper disease incidence was ranged (36%- 82%) across Kebele Administrations. These variations in wilt incidence were mainly associated with Altitude, agronomic practices and soil types. The field experiment was conducted at Abasem Kebele Administration in Jabitehnan district on farmer’s field. The experiment consistes of 8 treatments, viz. Two hot pepper varieties (Markofana and Bako Local) and three fungicides check (Ridomil 68%WG, Mancozeb 80% WP, Apron star 42% WS and Untreated) including one control in factorial arrangement using randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement (RCBD) with three replications. A field experiment showed that fungicides (Ridomil 68WG %) combined with varieties (Markofana) treatments had statistically lower mean AUDPC values than those applied at untreated fungicide. The finding revealed that combined treatments (Markofana & Bako local + Ridomil) significantly reduced fusarium wilt incidence compared with fungicide the control Markofana untreated and Bako Local untreated. Significantly highest plant height, fruit number per plant, and yield were recorded on fungicide treated hot pepper varieties than control. Yield loss protected percent due to combination of Markofana and ridomil use were reaching up to 46.33%. As a conclusion, finding showed that varieties of Markofana combined with ridomil indicated the best in the management of hot pepper fusarium wilt disease in the study location.
Keywords: AUDPC, Fungicide, Hot pepper, Fusarium oxysporium, Wilt Disease, Progress rate, Incidence, Varieties