Evaluation of fungicides and sterilants for potential application in the management of Fusarium wilt of banana

Fusarium wilt is considered one of the most important diseases of bananas. The disease can only be managed by using resistant cultivars and by preventing its introduction into new fields. The objectives of this study were to evaluate newly available fungicides, in vitro and in vivo, for their efficacy against the responsible pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense, and to evaluate surface sterilants that could be used for sterilization purposes. Of the fungicides, prochloraz and propiconazole significantly inhibited mycelial growth at concentrations of I and 5 mu ml(-1), respectively. Benomyl and the demethylation-inhibiting fungicides significantly reduced the disease severity of Foc when applied as a root dip treatment, showing disease reduction up to 80.6%. The results also demonstrated that certain quaternary ammonium compounds are effective as sterilants against Foc and should replace the ineffective sterilants that are currently being used. Further field evaluations of the fungicides are required. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.