Abstract

In Kerala, fungal staining is a major problem causing considerable loss of raw material in the rattan industries. For developing control strategies, various chemicals, fungicides and antagonistic organisms were screened against Botryodiplodia theobromae, the principal staining fungus of rattans employing standard laboratory techniques. Of the five chemicals and nine fungicides evaluated by poison food technique (PFT), carbendazim, sodium pentachlorophenoxide (NaPCP), sodium azide (NaN3) and copper sulphate (CuSO4) gave ED 100 value at all the concentrations tested. In rattan dipping technique the efficacy of the chemicals evaluated in situ employing rattan discs, blocks and 1 m long cane of Calamus thwaitesii and C. hookerianus showed that NaPCP (0. 5) NaN3 (0. 5) and CuSo4 (8) were the most effective chemicals. Boric acid and boric acid-borax were found to be least effective. In biocontrol experiment, Trichoderma viride and T. harzianum were applied at a concentration of 10