How to Control Fusarium Wilt on Chili Plants

Among the many major diseases in chili plants, fusarium wilt is one of the most serious threats. Why not, chili plants that are infected with fusarium wilt can certainly die immediately if not immediately addressed or controlled.

As the name implies, this fusarium wilt shows wilting symptoms on plants that are being attacked. Fusarium wilt is a disease caused by infection with the pathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum.

Fusarium wilt can attack chili plants at any time, especially during the rainy season like today. In the rainy season, the fungus Fusarium oxysporum is easy to breed and easily spreads from one plant to another. High humidity levels greatly affect the proliferation of this fungus, especially if there is a puddle of rainwater on the land and a low soil pH.

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Meanwhile, the initiation of infection from this disease occurs at the neck of the lower stem of the plant that is in contact with the soil. The part is rotting and brown. The infection spreads to the roots causing wet rot. If the soil moisture is high enough, the neck of the stem which was originally dry rot changes color to grayish white due to the formation of a mass of spores.

Not only that, fusarium wilt attack can also spread to the twigs of plants and ends in withering plant leaves which can then cause plant death.

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Fusarium wilt attack is often found in plants, both young and mature. The symptoms shown are that the plants will look wilted at 10.00-14.30 (during the day) and will look fresh again in the morning and evening as long as the photosynthesis process is reduced. 

At first glance, this symptom is similar to bacterial wilt, but the difference is in the length of the infection phase. In bacterial wilt, the plant will immediately dry out in 2-3 days while fusarium wilt will appear wilted and get worse until death takes about 7-10 days.

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Until now, no chemical fungicides have been found that are truly effective against fusarium wilt attacks. However, the population of this pathogenic fungus can still be controlled on agricultural land.

Here are some ways that can be done to control fusarium wilt attack caused by Fusarium oxysporum.

Trichoderma treatment

Trichoderma is a biological agent in the form of good fungi that can fight the development of pathogenic fungi, or commonly called natural fungicides. This natural fungicide is very effective and efficient at preventing fusarium wilt. How to use it is to mix it with manure as basic fertilizer or it can also be poured into each plant hole.

Uprooting symptomatic plants

If you see signs of wilting plants due to fusarium wilt, then the plants should be immediately removed and then burned. If necessary, the soil from the infected plants can also be removed or sprayed with a contact fungicide with the active ingredients of chlorotalonil or copper hydroxide. This is done to prevent faster transmission to plants that are still healthy.

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Proper use of fertilizers

Reducing the use of high N fertilizers, such as urea. If necessary, use NPK fertilizer. Excessive use of urea will cause succulent plants to be susceptible to this disease.

Crop rotation

Perform crop rotation with plants that are resistant to fusarium wilt to control the population and development of the fungus fusarium oxysporum on agricultural land. It should be noted that in addition to attacking chili plants, fusarium wilt can also attack tomatoes, eggplants, watermelons, melons, bananas, oranges, cabbage, cucumbers and many others.