Ginger is one of the most widely cultivated spice grown in various cropping systems and locations throughout the southwestern Ethiopia. Bacterial wilt, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, is one of the serious diseases of ginger in Ethiopia. Field experiments were conducted during 2019 and 2020 to assess effects of soil amendments on bacterial wilt development and epidemics at Tepi, southwestern Ethiopia. Three soil amendments practices: compost, effective microorganisms and Bordeaux mixture alone and in integration were evaluated. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Compost at the rate of 7 ton/ha enriched with effective microorganisms and Bordeaux mixture treatment significantly reduced ginger bacterial wilt incidence, area under disease progress curve and disease progress rate. This treatment reduced bacterial wilt mean incidence up to 21.08 % as compared to untreated control plot. Compost at the rate of 7 ton/ha also slowed down epidemic progression of bacterial wilt and significantly reduced the disease parameters when effective microorganisms and Bordeaux mixture were integrated. The overall results indicated that integrated compost enriched with effective microorganisms and Bordeaux mixture was effective to slow down the epidemics of ginger bacterial wilt and sustain ginger production and productivity. Hence, integrated compost enriched with effective microorganisms and Bordeaux mixture along with other crop management systems are recommended to improve ginger production and productivity at southwestern Ethiopia and other similar ecologies.

Ginger is one of the most widely distributed spices grown in various cropping systems and locations throughout the southwestern Ethiopia. Bacterial wilt, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, is one of the serious diseases of ginger in Ethiopia. Field experiments were conducted during 2019 and 2020 to assess effects of soil amendments on bacterial wilt development and epidemics at Tepi, Ethiopia. Three soil amendments practices: compost, effective microorganisms and Bordeaux mixture alone and in integration were evaluated. Treatments were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Compost at the rate of 7 ton ha-1 enriched with effective and Bordeaux mixture treatment significantly reduced ginger bacterial wilt severity, AUDPC and disease progress rate. This treatment reduced bacterial wilt mean severity by up to 21.08% as compared to untreated control plot. Compost at the rate of 7 ton ha-1 application also slowed down epidemic progression of bacterial wilt and significantly reduced the disease parameters when integrated effective microorganisms and Bordeaux mixture. The overall results indicated that integrated compost enriched with effective microorganisms and Bordeaux mixture was effective to slow down the epidemics of bacterial wilt and to sustain ginger production and productivity. Hence, integrated compost enriched with effective microorganisms and Bordeaux mixture along with other crop management systems are recommended for improved ginger production and productivity. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. Tech. 12(1): 72-78, June 2022

Turmeric leaf spot, caused by the pathogen Colletotrichum capsici, is the greatest damaging disease that limits the production and productivity of turmeric, and reduces qualitative and quantitative rhizome yields in Southwestern Ethiopia. A field trial was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of different fungicides against a disease epidemic of turmeric leaf spot in Southwestern Ethiopia. The field experiment was performed at Tepi Agricultural Research Center during the 2019 and 2020 main cropping seasons using four fungicides: Ethiozeb 80% WP (mancozeb), Prozole 255 EC (propiconazole), Mancolaxyl 72% WP (mancozeb + metalaxyl) and Ridomil Gold MZ 68 WG (metalaxyl-M), which were applied either as seed rhizome treatments plus foliar spray, or as foliar spray alone for control of leaf spot infection. The field experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with nine treatments and three replications. The results of the experiment indicated that both rhizome treatment + foliar spray, and foliar fungicide spray treatments significantly affected the turmeric leaf spot epidemics. The effect of the foliar spray Prozole 255 EC (propiconazole) was significantly higher than the other treatments in reducing disease severity (27.0) and maximizing rhizome fresh yield (34.1 ton/ ha). The maximum cost benefit ratio (1:2.65) was achieved by the foliar spray fungicide Prozole 255 EC (propiconazole). Amongst different fungicides considered, the foliar spray Prozole 255 EC (propiconazole) reduced leaf spot disease incidence up to 47.1% over the control on the last day of disease evaluation. The whole outcome of this experiment showed that foliar Prozole 255 EC (propiconazole) fungicide sprays were effective in alleviating the epidemic of turmeric leaf spot and boosting turmeric production and productivity.