Enhancing Soil Suppressiveness Using Formulated Gliocladium to Control Banana Fusarium Wilt Disease

Fusarium wilt has become a critical and crucial issue in world banana production due to it being a deadly disease that has caused significant losses for many banana industries around the world. The objective of this research was to find an environmentally friendly control measure through enhanced soil suppression of fusarium wilt disease. The research was carried out in Batu Sangkar, West Sumatera, Indonesia in 2006-2007, on a site with natural inoculation of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense VCG 01213/16. The experiment used the 'Ambon Hijau' (Cavendish type) cultivar, arranged in randomized block design with three replications and 20 plants per replicate. The treatments were A) Gliostar (a formulated Gliocladium), B) M-Rif (a formulated organic material), C) Trichoderma (check plot, biocontrol that is commonly used by farmers), D) Gliostar + M-Rif, E) Gliostar + Trichoderma, F) Trichoderma + M-Rif, G) Gliostar + Trichoderma + M-Rif, H) Control. The results showed that all of the treatments reduced Fusarium propagules in the soil, but did not impact on Fusarium wilt incidence unless organic material was added.