Integration of physical approach and chemical approach for the control of banana
rhizome rot in first and ratoon crop of banana cv. KovvurBontha (ABB)
India is the major producer of the banana crop in the world. Banana is divided into two types. First one is desert type and the second one is the cooking type of banana. Cooking banana is the stapple food in many parts of the India especially in Kerala. Major problem in cooking variety is that these varieties are highly susceptible to rhizome rot disease. To control this integration of physical method (collection and destruction) and chemical method (application of fungicide and bactericide) was used at an interval of 7 days and 14 days. The results showed that combination of physical method and application of MetalaxylMz (4 mgL-1) + streptomycin (1.5 mg/10L) at 7 days interval had resulted in survival percentage (96.03%), average number of the fingers/hand (12.67), average number of the hands/bunch (9.27), average weight of the bunch (29.67 kg) and yield per hectare (61.58 t/ha) in first crop. on the other hand, ratoon crop had recorded maximum survival percentage (99.83%), maximum average number of the fingers/hand (13.00), maximum average number of the hands/bunch (8.53), maximum average weight of the bunch (28.41kg) and maximum yield per hectare (59.45t/ha). This experiment concluded that rhizome rot can be completely control by the integrated physical and chemical method of disease management.