Fusarium wilt is considered one of the most important diseases of bananas. The disease can only be managed by using resistant
cultivars and by preventing its introduction into new fields. The objectives of this study were to evaluate newly available fungicides, in
vitro and in vivo, for their efficacy against the responsible pathogenFusarium oxysporumf.sp. cubense, and to evaluate surface sterilants
that could be used for sterilization purposes. Of the fungicides, prochloraz and propiconazole significantly inhibited mycelial growth at
concentrations of 1 and 5mgml
1
, respectively. Benomyl and the demethylation-inhibiting fungicides significantly reduced the disease
severity ofFocwhen applied as a root dip treatment, showing disease reduction up to 80.6%. The results also demonstrated that certain
quaternary ammonium compounds are effective as sterilants againstFocand should replace the ineffective sterilants that are currently
being used. Further field evaluations of the fungicides are required.
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