Investigations on alternative control measurements to produce healthy caprifigs reducing fig endosepsis disease caused by Fusarium spp.
The quality of both fresh and dried figs is significantly reduced by endosepsis disease caused by some Fusarium spp. These fungi are transmitted by contaminated caprifgs. Using healthy caprifigs is one of the most important measurements to prevent or reduce the severity of this disease. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Prochloraz, Carvacrol as active ingredient essential oils of origanum, Bacillus amyloliquifaciens (FZB-42) and sanitation in reducing the contamination of caprifigs. Experiments were conducted in 2013 and 2014 at the male fig collection orchard of Fig Research Institute in Aydin province of Turkey. For each treatment healthy appearing mamme fruits were dipped to treatment solutions mentioned above. Treatment sanitation fruits dipped only water. Then treated mamme fruits were hung to male fig trees that were isolated with insect net before starting fig wasps flying to get healthy caprifigs. Non isolated and untreated mamme fruits of male treesRSQUOs caprifig fruits were used as control treatment for efficacy comparison. After ripening, all treated and control capifigs were examined to determine the contamination of fruits by Fusarium spp. Results showed that treatments reduced the contamination in both years as compared to untreated control. Highest effectiveness was obtained by Prochloraz treatment in both years (by 53 and 87% in 2013 and 2014, respectively). In 2014 the Fusarium spp. contamination of control caprifigs was 85%, while the contamination of caprifigs was reduced to 18% by sanitation and 16% by biological control agent Bacillus amyloliquifaciens.