Abstract

Black pepper, Piper nigrum, is an important spice crop in Kerala. Among the various diseases affecting black pepper, foot rot (quick wilt) disease caused by Phytophthora capsici is the most destructive. A fungicidal trial to control the disease was carried out in an 18-yr-old pepper plantation with Grevillea robusta as standards/support trees (at 3X3 m spacing) in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary using Bordeaux mixture (1), copper oxychloride (0.1), Ridomil ([metalaxyl] 0.1) and Akomin ([potassium phosphonate] 0.2). The basins of the vines were drenched with the fungicide solution at 5 litres/vine and sprayed profusely over the leaves as pre-monsoon (south-west) and pre-north east monsoon treatments. The percentage of disease control ranged from approximately 52-66, 29-55, 71-82 and 40-78, respectively, in 4 treatments given during May, September and December 1993 and June 1994. Mortality of the vines observed at the end of 2-yr-period was 13-18 in fungicide-treated plots while it was 59 in untreated control plots. Copper oxychloride was found to be the least effective treatment. A treatment schedule is suggested against Phytophthora foot rot in forest plantations based on the results of the present study