The effect of split application of NPK on angular leaf spot disease severity and grain yield of common beans
Abstract
Common beans are one of the most important cash crops as well as a staple food for the majority of farmers and consumers. In Uganda, bean production is constrained by biotic and abiotic factors, among the biotic factors is angular leaf spot which causes yield losses as high as 80% depending on the variety as well as environmental conditions. Different methods have been employed to control angular leaf spot which include crop rotation, planting pathogen free seed, use of fungicides, and use of resistant varieties however the disease has not reduced and grain yield has continued to be low. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to improve common bean yields in Uganda through improved nutrient uptake and reduction of ALS disease and the specific objectives are to determine the effect of split application of NPK on the severity of ALS disease and to determine the effect of split application of NPK on the growth and yield of common beans. The study will be carried out at Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo (MUARIK). A local common bean variety (root rot resistant and angular leaf spot susceptible) will be used in this study. The variety will be grown under natural inoculum pressure. The experiment will be a factorial, set up in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 9 treatments in three replicates. Angular leaf spot symptoms will be recorded on plants using a scale of 1-9. The data that will be collected on disease and yield will be summarized in Microsoft excel sheet and subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using GenStat statistical package 14th edition. Significant differences between treatment means will be separated using Fisher’s Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at 5% confidence level.