385 Efficacy of Four Botanicals and Two Chemical Fungicides in the Control of Crown Rot Disease of Banana (Musa spp. AAA) ‘Medium Cavendish’ P. Kumah a , E.O. Ampomah and N.S. Olympio Department of Horticulture Faculty of Agriculture, CANR Kumasi Ghana E. Moses Crops Research Institute-CSIR PO Box 3785, Fumesua, Kumasi Ghana Keywords: isolates, infected crowns, non-pathogenic, Botryodiplodia theobromae, Zingiber officinale, pathogenicity Abstract Botryodiplodia theobromae was isolated and identified as the main causative agent or pathogen involved in crown rot disease of bananas collected from Fremponso and Volta River Estate Limited of the Atiwa and Asuogyaman districts in the Eastern region of Ghana. Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus were isolated and identified as part of the crown rot organisms from infected crowns of bananas but these were non-pathogenic when inoculated into healthy matured crowns of green bananas. Different concentrations of botanical and chemical fungicides were prepared and tested for their effectiveness on ‘Medium Cavendish’ banana inoculated with Botryodiplodia theobromae to find out which treatment best controls crown rot disease. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in the effectiveness of these treatments in controlling the crown rot pathogen. ‘Medium Cavendish’ banana inoculated and treated with Moringa oleifera (leaf extract), Azadirachta indica (seed extract) and Cassia alata (leaf extract) developed the disease in day 3. ‘Medium Cavendish’ banana treated with Zingiber officinale (rhizome extract), Mancozeb and Shavit F71.5WP developed crown rot in days 5, 6 and 8 respectively. Shavit F71.5WP at a concentration of 2.0 g/L and Mancozeb at a concentration of 7.0 g/L offered good protection against crown rot disease of banana. Zingiber officinale (rhizome extract) at a concentration of 66.67% w/v was the most effective of the botanicals tested against crown rot disease. Shavit F71.5WP was superior to Mancozeb. INTRODUCTION Banana is a tree-like perennial herbaceous monocotyledon belonging to the family Musaceae. It grows up to 2-9 m tall with an underground corm. The pseudostem is made up of leaf sheaths with a terminal crown of leaves through which an inflorescence emerges. It takes about 7-9 months after planting of good sucker for an inflorescence to emerge through the centre of the leaf crown. The fruits may be ready for harvest 90-150 days after flowering. Banana is an important food crop for man and from a socio-economic view point, bananas are acceptable crops to grow, eat and sell, and they can also provide reliable family income and job opportunities (Robinson, 1996). Estimated world production, in 2009, was 116.4 million t of which 69.2 million t were dessert bananas and the rest cooking types. The EU consumes 5.2 million t of dessert. Ghana, in 2010, exported 52,358 t to the EU (Loeillet et al., 2011). The flavour, texture, convenience, ease of eating and nutritional value has made dessert bananas very popular. Banana is a useful source of vitamins A, C and B 6 and has twice the concentration of potassium compared with other ripe fruits (Nakasone and Paull, 1998). a patrickumah@yahoo.co.uk Proc. 2 nd All Africa Horticulture Congress Eds.: K. Hannweg and M. Penter Acta Hort. 1007, ISHS 2013