October 2012. Is there a way to control Athelia rolfsi in the standing crop of peanut. It seems most of the control measures are applied before sowing.
One suggestion was biofumigation, although how this woudl be applied to the standing crop was not specified.
As a member explained, once the crop is set there is not much a farmer can do about it, so it comes down to prevention. Deep ploughing (to bury the propagules) followed by crop rotation with a well weeded cereal for an annual cycle is recommended. Fallowing is probably not a good idea because weeds can carry over the disease. Soil insects have been linked to an intensification of the problem, so seed treatment with chorpyriphos or a similar material will reduce damage from the insects and the disease. The benefits of seed treatment with Trichoderma harzianum are mentioned in the literature and might be considered in an experimental context.
There is a fact sheet on the fungus at the PestNet website. Go to staging.pestnet.org, click on Pest Fact sheets, Choose between Farmer and Extension and go to Fact Sheet no. 11.
For a more comprehensive account, see: http://www.apsnet.org/edcenter/intropp/lessons/fungi/Basidiomycetes/Pages/SouthernBlight
It is probably one of the most comprehensive accounts on the disease. Some post-plant soil fungicides are mentioned, although at what cost is not said.
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