EVALUATION OF FUNGICIDE EFFICACY FOR THE CONTROL OF LEAF SPOT DISEASE ON OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTA L.) CAUSED BY CURVALARIA LUNATA (WAKKER) BOEDIJN IN PORT HARCOURT, NIGERIA

Okoi Arikpo Ikpi, Okon Essien A. and Ataga A. E.

ABSTRACT

efficacy of fungi toxicity of five fungicides was tested for the control of leaf spots disease of Okra, caused by Curvularia lunata in the Green house. The concentrations of the fungicides used for the inhibition of the fungus were 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250μg/cm3 on potato dextrose agar medium (PDA) for the vegetative growth and on leaf spots disease of Okra, in vivo. All the five fungicides; Kototine, Apron plus, Benlate, Captan and Dithane M-45, inhibited the vegetative growth of C. lunata at all concentrations. The fungitoxic efficacy increased with increase in concentration of the fungicides. At 150 to 250μg/cm3 Kototine and Apron plus completely (100%) inhibited the mycelia growth of the fungus. The remaining fungicides in order of their decreasing fungitoxicty against the pathogenic fungus were Benlate, Captan and Dithane M-45. Apron plus and kototine proved to be more fungitoxic than the rest of the fungicides by recording the least number of leaf spot disease of okra, and size of leaf spots per leaf of okra plants

Keywords: Evaluation, fungicide efficacy, control, leaf spots, okra, Curvularia lunata.