Field Evaluation of New Fungicide, Victory 72 WP for Management of Potato and Tomato Late Blight (Phytophthora infestans (Mont) de Bary) in West Shewa Highland, Oromia, Ethiopia

Abstract

The field experiment was carried out to evaluate the management of tomato (Roma-VF) and potato (Guddeni) late blight using a new fungicide, Victory 72 WP and Ridomil gold to select the more effective dosage of the new fungicide option against potato and tomato late blight under field conditions at Toke Kutaye district of West Shoa, Ethiopia, during the main cropping season in 2012. The experiment was arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications. Two types of fungicide applications (Ridomil gold and Victory 72 WP) in weekly intervals were established and unsprayed plot was used as a control. Late blight infection was prevalent in the experimental year, and a significant amount of disease was detected (P<0.05). Application of fungicide treatments considerably reduced late blight progress, with a corresponding increase in tuber and fruit yields of potato and tomato, respectively. Significant differences were observed among treatments in potato and tomato plants in terms of disease severity (DS), area under disease progressive curve (AUDPC), disease progressive rate (r). Among the different treatments, Victory 72 WP fungicide treated potato and tomato plants recorded the lowest DS, AUDPC, disease progressive rate. Based on late blight disease occurrence, application of Victory 72 WP fungicide significantly reduced disease development and increased tuber and fruit yield in both potato and tomato crops, respectively as compared to the Ridomil gold fungicide applications. This is an indication of the reliability and promise as well as the exhibition of great potential of the Victory 72 WP is the effective control of the late blight of potato and tomato in Toke Kutaye district of West Shoa, Ethiopia.