EFFECTS OF CRAB CHITOSAN ON SEEDLING GROWTH AND PERFORMANCE OF VIGNA UNGUICULATA (COWPEA) INFECTED WITH FUSARIUM GRAMINEARUM

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an annual herbaceous legume belonging to the family of fabaceae. The leaves, grain and grain pod are eaten as dietary source of protein. This study was carried out to access the effect of Chitosan against fusarium wilt (Fusarium graminearum) in Vigna unguiculata. The experiment was performed with eight (8) treatments replicated 5 times. Top soil was sieve with (3mm) and steam sterilised in drum for three (3) hours, seed were surface sterilised with sodium hypochlorite and rinsed with sterilised distilled water 3 times. 3 kg of sterilised soil were poured into forty (40) pots of the experiment. Inoculation of pathogen spores at into steam sterilised soil was carried out a day before planting; seeds were treated with different concentrations of Chitosan (0.05g/ml,0.25g/ml,0.5g/ml,1.0g/ml and 2.5g/ml) and air dried. After a day of inoculation, three (3) seeds were sown in a sowing depth of 3cm, Mancozeb known as fungicide was applied as a positive control. Plant growth parameters were determined on plant height, number of leaves, stem girth and number of branches were taken at 3-11 weeks. From the results, there was decrease in most of the growth parameters with increase in Chitosan concentration. At week 10, highest values of the following parameters were obtained from Treatment A (0.05g/ml): plant height, number of leaves and stem girth with 11.80cm,11.80 and 1.70mm compared with lowest values of 7.60cm, 7.80 and 1.52mm of the 2.50g/ml concentration, respectively. This results tend to suggest that 0.05g/ml concentration of Chitosan is more effective in controlling Fusarium wilt of cowpea caused by Fusarium graminearum.