Integrated management of Cercospora leaf spots of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) through host resistance and fungicides in Eastern Ethiopia

Cercospora leaf spots caused by Cercospora arachidicola and Cercosporidium personatum are the most widespread diseases of groundnut that result in severe yield losses in Ethiopia. Field trials were conducted at Babile and Dire Dawa to evaluate the effect of integrated use of host resistance and fungicides on the temporal epidemics of leaf spots and yield of groundnut. The experiments were conducted during the 2010 main cropping season using three groundnut varieties and six fungicide treatments. The experiment was laid out as RCBD in a factorial arrangement with three replications. Severity, disease progress rate, area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) and yield of groundnut were used to evaluate the effects of treatments. High levels of disease control were achieved by weekly application of chlorothalonil at both locations. Up to 25 and 65% severity levels were recorded on sprayed and unsprayed plots of the varieties, respectively. Fungicide applications also significantly reduced disease progress rate and AUDPC value on the susceptible variety. Seed yield harvested from fungicide sprayed plots was consistently greater than the yield harvested from unsprayed plots.   Key words: Arachis hypogaea L., Cercospora leaf spots, disease progress rate, disease severity and integrated disease management.