The role of several annual crops and their control in crop rotation system to suppress Banana Fusarium wilt disease

Abstract

Fusarium Wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cubense (Foc) is one of the main diseases in banana plants. One alternative technique that has proven effective in controlling the disease is rotating bananas using annual crops. This study aimed to determine the role of several annual crops in suppressing Fusarium wilt banana plants by crop rotation technique. The treatments in this study were banana crop rotation using shallots, tomatoes, corn, and chillies with three varieties for each annual crop. The results showed that crop rotation of bananas with shallots, tomatoes, corn, and chillies could delay the incubation period of Fusarium wilt, reduce Fusarium population in the soil, and reduce infection with external symptoms and internal symptoms on bananas due to Foc TR4 infection. In addition, the four crops are also not an alternative host for Foc TR4.