FUNGICIDAL SEED TREATMENT AND FOLIAR SPRAY IN RELATION TO Rhizoctonia solani INFECTION IN COFFEE

Abstract

In vitro seed treatment with carboxin, carbendazim, benomyl, quintozene, triadimefon and thiophanate-methyl enhanced the percent germina-tion of Coffea arabica and C. canephora. The percentage of seed germination and the relative growth of hypocotyl were closely related to the concentration of the fungicide used. There were no phytotoxic symptoms in the seedlings obtained from the treated seeds except those treated with triadimefon. Either seed treatment or foliar spray of the fungicides generally reduced Rhizoctonia solani infection in vitro. Of the fungicides used, carboxin either as seed dressing or foliar spray gave the most promising results followed by thiophanate-methyl and carbendazim.