DOWNLOAD PDF DOWNLOAD XML CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTI-DISEASE PROPERTIES OF POULTRY COMPOST AND CHILLI EXTRACT AGAINST TOMATO FOLIAR AND FRUITS DAMAGES

Abstract

This study was undertaken to formulate a biopesticide based poultry compost tea and aqueous chilli extract for the evaluation of their efficacy on tomato foliar and fruit damages in the field. A completely randomised block design was set up, consisting of five treatments triplicated each, and including a negative control and four insecticide treatments (compost tea, aqueous chilli extract, compost tea+aqueous chilli extract and Decis). Plants were linearly transplanted in the field using a string, with only plants carrying at least 5 to 6 leaves sown singly to the level of the first leaves, at 40 cm x 40 cm apart within and between lines. As from the 14 days after transplantation plants were sprayed, then parameters such as size at different flowering dates, number and weight of fruits/plant were recorded, whereas the foliar and fruits damages were observed. Damages observed in the field were fruits rot (anthracnose) and leaf discoloration (chlorosis). The formulated biopesticides (poultry compost tea-chilli extract) were found to have a significant effect (p = 0.0001) on plants size, with 2 folds increased over the negative control. The average number offruits/treatments varied significantly (p = 0.0004), the highest values accounting for treatments compost teaaqueous chilli extract (T3) and the pesticide mixture (T5), which contributed to 2 to 2.5 folds increased fruit yield in the field. These pioneer results open up prospects for the use of biopesticides based compost tea and chilli extract to combat tomato foliar and fruits damages in the field.