The Efficacy of Paecilomyces SP and Penicilium Digitatum on Blac Pod Disease Pathogen on the Field

Abstract

: Phytophthora palmivora the blac pod disease pathogen is nown to cause the greatest damages to cocoa tree. All measures put in place to control the pathogen were not successful. This study therefore investigated the biological control of the pathogen by Paecilomyces sp and Penicillium digitatum isolated from rhizosphere and rhizoplane in farmers’ field. The suspension (10 propagules/ml) of each fungal isolates 8 was prepared by blending the culture of the isolates on solid rice substrate with distilled water, 20% pectin and Ammonium diphoshate at PH 5.5. The experimental plots were set up in three cocoa farms untreated for many years. The efficacy of these potential antagonists was compared to fungicide (Metalaxyl-m and Cuprous oxide) while water was used as control. All data generated were analysed using Analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results revealed that the effects of the test potential antagonists on pod infection differed significantly at 5%. The mean percentage infection of pods was low in plots treated with the potential antagonists and chemical but high in control plots. This trend was observed throughout the periods of trial. The applied biological control agents effectively hampered the establishment of the pathogen on the pods, enhanced flowering and increased cocoa pod production in the field.