Pest Management Science (2019) 75, 1081-1090

Adel Bakache, Jean-Paul Douzals, Bernard Bonicelli, Eric Cotteux, Luc de Lapeyre de Bellaire and Carole Sinfort (2019)
Development of a rapid methodology for biological efficacy assessment in banana plantations: application to reduced dosages of contact fungicide for Black Leaf Streak Disease (BLSD) control
Pest Management Science 75 (4), 1081-1090
Abstract:
BACKGROUND
Black sigatoka is the main disease of banana crop production and is controlled by using either systemic or contact fungicides through spray applications. Biological efficacy is typically assessed on a whole cropping cycle with a natural infestation and periodic spray applications. Developing a faster methodology for assessment of the biological efficacy of a contact fungicide offers promising perspectives for testing current and new fungicides or application techniques.
RESULTS
The methodology is based on the time of occurrence of the first BLSD symptoms. An artificial infestation protocol was optimized by multiplying the infestation spots and by covering the infested plants. Biological efficacy tests were based on a single spray application after infestation combining three mancozeb dose reductions and two nozzle types. Results demonstrated that a 50% reduction in the mancozeb rated dosage gave significant efficacy independently of the nozzle type, with a reduction of the number of lesions of up to 55% compared with control plants.
CONCLUSIONS
The described method provides rapid and significant infestation. Further comparison of spray settings and fungicide doses was possible. This methodology will be tested at the plantation scale over a longer period covering the whole crop cycle.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
control - general

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Pseudocercospora fijiensis	Banana/plantain (Musa)	Cameroon