EFFICACY OF SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE TO CONTROL CROWN ROT OF BANANA CAUSED BY FUSARIUM SEMITECTUM

Crown rot disease of Banana is adversely affecting the quantity and quality of the fruits for consumption and utilization. The bananas collected from the local markets of Hyderabad, Tando Allahyar and Quetta were found suffered with different types of rots such as crown rot, anthracnose, fruit rot and stem end rot. Among them crown rot of banana was found predominantly followed by anthracnose and other fruit rots. Incidence and severity varied with the markets and locations. Fusarium semitectum found predominately associated with the affected fruits showing crown rot symptoms. So yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) were evaluated against F. semitectum under in-vitro conditions. S. cerevisiae also tested against crown rot disease development of banana fruit inoculated with F. semitectum. The addition of Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the culture medium has brought 93% reduction in the growth of F. semitectum. yeast were also tested against crown rot disease development on banana fruits by direct contact method. Yeast treatment brought more than 40% reduction in crown rot disease development as compared to the untreated fruits. The present study indicates that active yeast have the potential to manage harmful plant pathogens and thus could provide an alternate, reliable and eco-friendly control of crown rot disease.