Mr Johnny Masangwa

MSc Student

Effects of botanicals on Colletotrichum species of Phaseolus vulgaris L. and Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp

Anthracnose is one of major fungal diseases of beans and Cowpea and its severe infection may result in total loss of the crop. The only effective way of reducing the disease is by the use of synthetic chemical fungicides but most smallholder farmers fail to apply synthetic chemical fungicides to their crops because they (fungicides) are too expensive. Little research has been done on substances naturally occurring in plants that are toxic to the Colletotrichum spp, of cowpea and common bean.

My research therefore aims at improving food security and income of the smallholder farmers by increasing legumes (Phaseolus vulguris and Vigna unguiculata) production, reducing the disease incidences and severity through the use of effective botanicals as an alternative to synthetic fungicides.

The research will come up with a list some botanicals that will be recommended to farmers for use in controlling anthracnose disease of legumes, the right dosages of botanicals that can effectively reduce the Anthracnose disease incidence and severity, the right time of applying botanicals to plants that effectively control or reduces Anthracnose disease spread and the best combination of different botanicals in the controlling of Anthracnose disease development.