Integrated Disease Management of Stem Rot of Vanilla

Stem rot disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vanillae is a serious constraint in the successful cultivation of vanilla. Management of the disease is possible to a limited extent, through bio-control agents and fungicides. Among the treatment combinations, Trichoderma harzianum (2g/pl) + carbendazim (0.1%), T. harzianum + cymoxanil and mancozeb (0.2%) and T. harzianum + hexaconazole (0.2%) showed 100 per cent survival of plants up to 120 days after treatment imposition followed by hexzol and T. harzianum combination with 77.77 per cent survival of plants was observed both in pot and field conditions. However, the maximum population of 209 × 10⁻⁴ cfu g⁻¹ of dry soil was recorded in control, whereas least population of 47.3 × 10⁻⁴ cfu g⁻¹ of soil was recorded in T. harzianum + carbendazim after 90 days of planting.