Evaluation of the curative effect of Cymbopogon nardus (L.) Rendle essential oil on fusarium wilt of abaca (Musa textilis Nee)

Issue Date

4-2017

Abstract

Abaca (Musa textilis), a native species in the Philippines, is a reforestation crop integrated in different agroforestry farming systems in the country. In this study, the effect of citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) essential oil was observed to inhibit mycelial growth of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (E. F. Smith) W.C. Snyder & H.N. Hansen causing Fusarium wilt disease in abaca in vitro and its disease symptoms in vivo. Four different concentrations (0.001%, 0.025%, 0.05% and 0.1% v/v) were used for the in vitro assay within 21 days of observation. Mycelial growth was significantly inhibited in the 0.05% and 0.1% concentrations. For the in vivo assay, the 0.1% v/v concentration was used to test the efficacy of citronella essential oil in suppressing leaf symptoms of Fusarium wilt disease on Abaca seedlings using the Disease Severity Index (DSI). The Fusarium-inoculated seedlings with citronella essential oil had the highest DSI (2.8), followed by seedlings with inoculation but without essential oil (2.7), seedlings both without inoculation and essential oil (control) (1.6), and seedling without inoculation but with essential oil (1.13). Findings showed that citronella essential oil can lessen the occurrence of morphological symptoms such as leaf spots and anthracnose that are not visible symptoms of the Fusarium wilt disease.

Source or Periodical Title

Ecosystem & Development Journal: A Journal on Tropical Forests and Natural Resources

ISSN

2012-3612

Volume

7

Issue

1

Page

14-20

Document Type

Article

Frequency

semi-annually

Physical Description

graphs ; tables; illustrations

Language

English

En – AGROVOC descriptors

CYMBOPOGON; MUSA TEXTILIS; ABACA; FUSARIUM WILT; ESSENTIAL OILS; PLANT DISEASES; AGROFORESTRY; BIOLOGIGAL CONTROL AGENTS

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