REACTION OF CASSAVA PLANTS TO BROWN LEAF SPOT INFECTION

Abstract

PRC 24 cassava plants inoculated with Cercospora henningsii at 8 weeks after planting manifested the earliest symptom and defoliation. Initial symptoms of cassava brown leaf spot disease are light green, round lesions about 3.5 mm in diameter which later turn greenish brown. These lesions then coalesce and result in blighting and subsequent defoliation. Out of the 98 cassava accessions tested for susceptibility to the disease, 28 accessions were rated to be resistant with total lesion area ranging from 0 to 0.5 cm².