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Online ISSN : 2349-8080 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorinchiefijcrbp@gmail.com |
2Laboratory of Phytopathology, Institute of Agricultural Research for Development, Yaounde, Cameroon
Cocoa orchards in different areas of Center and South-West regions of Cameroon were found to suffer from dieback disease. Lasiodiplodia theobromae was the most frequent pathogen isolated from plant materials followed by Fusarium sp. Inoculation of healthy hybrids plants stressed or not with L. theobromae either alone or in combination with Fusarium sp. produced typical symptoms whereas Fusarium sp. failed to produce these symptoms when plants were not stressed. On amelonado cocoa, only Lasiodiplodia isolates produced symptoms when plants were stressed. Symptoms were more severe in plots where plants have been stressed, and Lasiodiplodia from Ndikinimeki was the most pathogenic isolate. In vitro efficacy of two chemical fungicides viz. carbendazim + chlorotalonil and Mancozeb 80 WP and aqueous extract of Azadirachta indica (AEAI) evaluated against L. theobromae and Fusarium sp. by poisoned food technique at different doses. All the employed doses of the tested fungicides were effective in reducing the growth of the tested fungal species. The best effective ones were carbendazim + chlorotalonil and aqueous extract of A. indica seeds at low and high concentrations while, Mancozeb 80 WP was effective at high concentrations only. Carbendazim + chlorotalonil fungicide and aqueous extract of A. indica seeds have to evaluate in vivo and in natural orchards infected before to be valuate in the fight against cocoa dieback in Cameroon.
