Optimisation of chemical fungicide method through integrating with stamping practice on management of Fusarium wilt disease in cashew

Abstract

Cashew Fusarium wilt disease continues to threaten production and productivity of cashew in Tanzania. Limitation of tested chemical control method, triggered optimisation of chemical fungicides on management of Fusarium wilt. Four chemical fungicides; carbendazim, thiophanate methyl, azoxystrobin and propamocarb hydrochloride at 15 g of formulated product/L were tested in vitro, and applied on infested cashew stamps under field from 2021 to 2023. Findings revealed potential growth inhibition of >90.2% from carbendazim, thiophanate methyl, azoxystrobin and propamocarb hydrochloride. Carbendazim, thiophanate methyl, azoxystrobin and propamocarb hydrochloride, respectively, promoted significant reduction of disease to 1.0%, 5.6%, 11.1% and 18.5%, recovered cashew stamps by 94.4% equivalent to an increase of 30.9% from sole management approach (p ≤ 0.05). Therefore, optimised chemical control method can be adopted for the management of Fusarium wilt, while creating awareness to cashew stakeholders on the usability of an optimised chemical control method on Fusarium wilt is of paramount importance.