Hot pepper (Capsicum annum L.) is one of the important cash crops to Ethiopian smallholder farmers and an important agricultural commodity which contribute to export earnings. In Ethiopia, this high value crop is constrained by powdery mildew, Phytophthora leaf blight, Fusarium wilt, bacterial leaf spot, bacterial wilt, bacterial soft rot and pepper motile virus. Among this diseases, wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. capsici (FOC) is one of the major pathogen that constrained production and productivity of hot pepper in Ethiopia mainly the Central Rift valley. In Ethiopia, hot pepper fusarium wilt is reported in all production regions in different magnitude. The highest wilt incidence due to fusarium is 90% in some Farmers association of Alaba districts in South Nation Nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia. The economic yield losses due to Fusarium wilt has been estimated at 68 to 71%. Infection and disease development in Fusarium wilt is favored by warm soil temperature, low soil moisture, susceptible host, virulent pathogen and 5.0 to 6.0 pH levels; are some of epidemic factors. Fusarium is reproduced by sexually by teleomorphs and asexually by microconidia, macroconidia and chlamydospore. From the Central rift valley of Ethiopia, 49 FOC isolates were identified based on micro and macroscopic characteristics and the isolate having pink colony color, 3-5 septa forming conidia on potato dextrose agar, perform the most pathogenic ability to Mareko Fana Variety. This pathogen has an over wintering stage called chlamydospore which can exist in the soil for more than ten years without the host. Hot pepper fusarium wilt can be managed by host resistance, biological agent, botanicals and fungicide. In Ethiopia, pepper screening for resistant source, in vitro evaluation of bioagents and fungicides were done. In this review attempt has been made to summarize relevant scientific studies on this economically important crop, hot pepper fusarium wilt and associated factors in Ethiopia as well as its different disease management options, challenges and future prospects.

Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is an important fruit crop which is cultivated widely for consumption as a fresh fruit and for use in drinks, jams, candies and as dried and crystallized fruit. It has high nutritive and medicinal value. Papaya is also used as a source of cash-income. Production of papaya in Ethiopia is increasing through time; yet the average production and export is very low due to various abiotic and biotic factors. Among which, diseases cause much of the damage. Papaya is attacked by several diseases like, anthracnose, powdery mildew, black spot and papaya ring spot. Among the emerging diseases of papaya in Ethiopia, black spot disease caused by Asperisporium caricae is the most lethal by causing disease on photosynthetic and economic (fruit) plant parts. The fruits are affected on the surface, reducing the fresh-market value. In Ethiopia, Asperisporium caricae has been observed in most papaya producing areas. However, the severity of the pathogen has not been well profiled. The pathogen was not also characterized, which is the base to device management options. Currently, the use of fungicides and resistant cultivars are the preferred management options. This disease is found to be serious in the recent past few years by causing substantial economic loss. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to review the newly emerging black spot disease of papaya, its distribution and management options.

Banana is among the most important fruit crops in Ethiopia and is produced widely by small scale farmers. Despite its importance and cultivation, its production is, however, hampered by different biotic and abiotic factors. Fusarium wilt of banana caused by soil-borne fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is becoming an important production constraint of the crop. In Ethiopia it was reported in 2014 in potential banana producing areas mainly in Dale, Aleta Chuko and Samen Bench in Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Regional State. The general management option to this disease is replacing susceptible cultivars by resistant/tolerant ones. Use of resistant/tolerant varieties is the most cost-effective and sustainable method of managing the disease. A reliable and rapid screening method is needed to select resistant/tolerant banana varieties. In Ethiopia there is no developed protocol to artificially inoculate banana fusarium wilt in order to screen resistant/tolerant variety. An optimized inoculation methods by root dipping into an adjusted suspension of Foc inoculum concentration 1x10 6 conidia/ml on acclimatized three months old tissue cultured plantlets of susceptible variety (poyo) has enabled to observe typical symptom of FW by tenth days of inoculation and an overall result was obtained within three months. This protocol facilitates the way to produce symptoms of fusarium wilt in banana and screen resistant/tolerant variety released in Ethiopian Research system. Therefore, this paper presents the details of the protocol and achievements of the study in major banana growing areas of Ethiopia.