Pyrethrum wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum in Kenya

Abstract

This article is about pyrethrum production in Kenya which is greatly constrained by a disease characterised by wilting and eventual death of pyrethrum plants. To date, Fusarium graminearum schwabe, F. solani (Mart.) Sacc., Rhizoctonia solani kuhn, Sclerotinia monor jagger, S. sclerotiorum (Lib) de Bary, and lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) have been associated with the wilt disease of pyrethrum. The study was carried out to determine the primary casual agent of the disease. Disease plant samples were collected from five pyrethrum growing areas, namely Kisii, Molo, Mwongoris, Sotik and Limuru for isolation and identification of pathogens associated with the disease.