1. PROJECT PROPOSAL ON MANAGEMENT OF EARLY BLIGHT IN TOMATO USING FUNGICIDES, (ANTRACOL, RIDOMIL AND DACONIL) PRESENTED BY: PHILLIP W. NJERI A22/0062/2009 SUPERVISOR: Dr. MUIRU MAINA

2. Introduction
Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is among the most important vegetable grown in Kenya, ranked eighth in terms of value among the agricultural foods produced in the country, (FAOSTAT, 2010), where it is used in salads, or cooked as a vegetable or processed into tomato paste, sauce and puree, ( Bio-vision, 2005)

3. There are two broad categories that are grown in Kenya: -
For fresh market varieties which includes; money maker, mar globe, marmade, elgon dume, onyx, eden and beauty
while for processing are; rome vf, cal J and MP2, (KARI, 2005).
Cal J variety being popular for fresh market for its good quality in shelf life, colour and disease resistance against early blight.

4. Objectives General objective:
To increase the tomato yields realized thereby contributing to food and nutritional security and improved livelihoods of farmers by generating income from the sale of the produce.
Specific objectives:
To evaluate the most effective fungicides in the management of early blight of tomato.
To evaluate the impact of the disease on the yield and quality of tomato.

5. Problem statement
Tomato productivity in Kenya 12ton/ha, compared to country like Zimbabwe where production of up to 100tons/ha is being realized. (Bio-vision 2005).
Justification
Early blight caused by Alternaria solani is the most important disease of tomatoes causing yield losses up to 80% (Singh, 1985; Mathur and Shekhawat, 1986; Chandravanshi et al., 1994).

6. Fungicides being used are:
Materials
Fungicides being used are:
Antracol®WP 70 – it is a broad spectrum protective fungicide, active ingredient propineb 700g/kg. Application rate of 50g per 20 liters of water.
Rodomil® 68 WG – it is a systemic fungicide with metalaxyl-M 40g/kg + Mancozeb 640g/kg. Application rate of 50g/20 liters of water.
Daconil® 720 SC – It is a broad spectrum contact fungicide with the active ingredient Chlorothalonil 720g/lt. Application rate of 40ml/20liters of water.

7. Methodology
The field experiment will be laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 4 treatments and 3 replications for each treatment during the month of December 2012 and April 2013 at College of Agriculture and Veterinary Science (CAVS) field station.
Cal J variety of seedlings will be raised in nursery bed and 28 days old seedlings will be transplanted into the field with 60 cm inter and 60 cm intra row spacing in plots measuring 1.8 x 1.2 m.
All other cultural and pest control practices will be followed as recommended in package of practices (Anon 1998).

8. A layout of the experimental design

9. Data analysis
Data will be subjected to analysis of variance using Genstat.
The least significant difference will be used to compare the differences among treatments means.
The correlation coefficient among the different parameters will be analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS), statistical software.
Analysis of data collected using variance (ANOVA) will be carried out using the SPSS.

10. References
A. S. Derbalah, M.S. El-mahrouk and A.B. El-sayed, Efficacy and safety of some plant extract against tomato early blight disease caused by Alternaria solani. Plant pathology journal 10(3)
Alfredo Rueda and Anthony M. Shelton, Early Blight of Tomatoes
Chaerani, R. and R.e. Voorrips. (2006). Tomato early blight (Alternaria solani): the pathogen, genetics, and breeding for resistance, J. of Gen. Plant Pathology: 72,
FOASTAT 2010, on agricultural production in Kenya.

11. Work plan Activity Dec Jan Feb March April May
Raising of the seedlings in the nursery
Watering of the nursery and in the field
Transplanting
Gapping
Top dressing
Data collection
Data analysis
Final presentation

12. Thank you for your audience.