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Distribution and Relative Importance of Hot Pepper Fusarium Wilt (Fusarium oxysporium f.sp. capsici) and Associated Agronomic Factors in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Endriyas Gabrekiristos, Daniel Teshome and Getachew Ayana

Hot pepper (Capsicum annum L.) is one of the important cash crops to Ethiopian smallholder farmers and an important agricultural commodity which contribute to export earnings. Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporium f.sp. capsici (FOC) is one of the major pathogen that constrained production and productivity of hot pepper in Ethiopia. The present study was conducted to assess the distribution of Fusarium wilt and associated factors in one of the major hot pepper production regions in Ethiopia, the Central Rift Valley. Assessment of Fusarium wilt incidence and associated agronomic factors was carried out in six districts during the 2018 main cropping season. The survey results revealed varying distribution and intensity of Fusarium wilt, with 15.1, 30.9, 40.0, 42.9, 46.0 and 46.5% wilt incidence in Adami Tullu Jiddo Kombolcha, Dugda, Adama, Meskan, Alaba and Mareko districts, respectively. These variations in percentage wilt incidence were mainly associated with agronomic practices. More importantly, seed source and method of seedling propagation were the most important agronomic practices that might contribute for variations in disease intensity. It was observed that Fusarium wilt incidence is higher in districts that mostly used seeds purchased from local market and raise seedlings on a seedbed compared to those who used seedlings produced from farmers ’ saved seeds in a seedling tray. Since it was not possible to obtain a comprehensive data on the type of cropping system, it is very difficult to conclude on the role of cropping systems on the distribution and intensity of Fusarium wilt in the present study area. It was also observed that, Foc can infect hot pepper at seedling, vegetative, flowering and harvest growth stage.