Volume 1 (Issue 2) 2021 Article 13

ABSTRACT:

In 2015 cropping season, SAMNUT – 14, a variety of groundnut susceptible to late leaf spot was subjected tofive different frequencies (0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks) of fungicide application. The experiment was in aRandomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications established at the Institute forAgricultural Research (IAR) Farm Samaru, Zaria. Natural infection in the field was relied upon as thesource of inoculums. Stand count at emergence, and at harvest, disease severity at 60, 80 and 90 Days AfterSowing (DAS) based on 1 – 9 scale, Area Under Disease Progress Curve (AUDPC), percent defoliation, podand haulm yields were recorded. The results showed that, there was no significant difference in diseaseseverity at 60 DAS between all the treatments. The severity recorded on plants sprayed weekly (T ) and 1biweekly (T ) was significantly lower when compared with other treatments at 80 and 90 DAS. Unsprayed 2plants recorded the highest AUDPC while the least was observed in plants sprayed weekly. Stand count atemergence and at harvest did not differ significantly across all the treatments. Plants sprayed weekly (T ), 1biweekly spray (T ) and plants sprayed every three weeks (T ) recorded lower percent defoliation while T 2 3 0and T with significantly higher defoliation were statistically similar. Pod and haulm yields were highest in T 4 1and lowest in T . Haulm yield in T T and T were statistically similar and significantly higher than T and T . 4 1 2 3 0 4Disease severity correlated positively and was highly significant with percent defoliation at 80 DAS and 90DAS. Application of the fungicide at two weeks interval was considered optimum having recorded yields and disease reduction that were statistically similar with weekly and fortnightly spray. This will reduce cost and labour as well as minimize environmental pollution.