BIOPRODUCTS TO CONTROL BLACK SIGATOKA IN PLANTAIN PLANTATIONS, VAR. CURARE ENANO

Abstract

In order to evaluate bioproducts to control black sigatoka in plantain, an experiment was carried out in the locality of Divalá, Alanje, province of Chiriquí, Panama, from January to December 2006. A split-plot design arranged on a Randomized Complete Block design (RCB) was used, with three replicates per treatment. Main plots were constituted by the types of seed, corms and in vitro seedlings, plus radical protection with the endophytic fungi Trichoderma atroviride 1, T. atroviride 2, and without radical protection. The sub plots were the foliar applications of botanic extracts from Momordica charantia (B1) and Senna reticulata (B2), fungicide applications, and a control without applications. No significant differences were found from the interaction among the sources of variation. High inoculum pressure of the plant pathogen Mycosphaerella fijiensis was evident under trial conditions and also susceptibility of the Curare Enano variety. Plants from corms registered a better than those from in vitro seedlings for Area Under Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC), total leaves at harvest (TLH) and planting-to-harvest period (PHP). Applications of foliar fungicides were statistically superior to the other treatments in relation to AUDPC, total leaves at flowering (TLF), YLH (youngest leave at harvest (YLH) and disease-at-harvest index (DHI) but were similar to the weekly applications of vegetables extracts in relation to the production variables TLH, length of central finger of the second hand (LCF2H) and thickness of central finger of the second hand (TCF2H), with export quality.