| dc.description.abstract | Several methods, including disk plating, leaf washing,
leaf maceration, sporefall, and sellotape impression techniques
were used in isolating coffee leaf surface mycoflora. Leaf
surfacesof cultivars of Coffea arabica L. in Kiambu, Kenya, support
a wide range of mycoflora, the commonest of which are species
of Aureobasidium, Cladosporium, Colletotrichum, Phyllosticta and
Epicoccum.
Factors affecting distribution of the fungal isolates
were investigated. Seasonal variation, leaf age, coffee variety,
temperature, relative humidity, presence of coffee pollen, etc.
app ear ed to influence the mycofloral populations.
The effect of captafol (Difolatan) on the phylloplane
mycoflora as well as its "tonic" effects were demonstrated and
discussed.
~ vitro antagonism between some of the isolates was
studied. Fusarium stilboides strongly exhibited antagonism
against other :Lsolates. The possibility of using such antibiosis as a
meanp of biological disease control is discussed.
A pathogenicity test suggests that Alternaria alternata
is a weak pathogen of young coffee leaves. | en |
