An Alginate Prill Formulation of Fusarium oxysporum Schlechtend: Fr. f. sp. erythroxyli for Biocontrol of Erythroxylum coca var. coca

Abstract
A rice alginate prill formulation of isolate EN - 4 of Fusarium oxysporum f . sp . erythroxyli, pathogenic to Erythroxylum coca var . coca (coca) , was evaluated in greenhouse and field studies for its ability to enhance pathogen populations in the soil and cause disease in coca . The formulation was applied to four different soil types in the greenhouse at 33 . 6 kg ha 1 . It enhanced the population of EN - 4 in each soil and most ( > 90%) of the fungal population remained in the upper 5 cm of soil during the 49 - day experiment . When applied in field experiments , the formulation enhanced the population of EN - 4 in the soil . Isolate EN - 4 was present in the upper 7 . 6 cm of soil 28 days after application at populations similar to those in the greenhouse studies (1 103 to 1 104 colony - forming units (CFUs) / g of soil) . Elevated populations of the pathogen (1 102 CFUs / g of soil) were still present in treated soils 229 days after application of the formulation . The areas used for field studies were already infested with the pathogen and typically developed high levels of fusarium wilt within 2 years of planting with coca . The formulated F. oxysporum began having a significant effect on plant death 100 - 200 days after application based on repeated measures analysis . These data suggest that a formulation of F. oxysporum f . sp . erythroxyli which enhances the incidence of fusarium wilt in coca fields can be produced using established techniques .

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