The Cause of Sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria) Damping-off Disease: Survey and Identification in Permanent Nursery, IPB University

Abstract

Damping-off generally occurs in seedlings that have just germinated. This disease can cause severe damage, decay, and seedling death. The research was aimed to compute disease incidence and severity of damping-off and to identify the causal of damping-off disease in Paraserianthes falcataria. The survey was examined by using scoring with a 10% sampling intensity. The identification of morphological characteristics was examined macroscopically and microscopically. The result showed that the disease incidence most frequently occurred on 5-month-old seedlings in an open area of 75,00%, and the lowest was on 3-month-old seedlings in an open area of 13,40%. The immense severity of the damping-off attack occurred on 3-month-old seedlings in the greenhouse area of 37,78%, and the lowest occurred on 3-month-old seedlings in an open area of 2,84%. The causal of damping-off disease on P. falcataria in Permanent Nursery of IPB University was Rhizoctonia sp. Pathogenicity test toward P. falcataria seed showed 100% of disease infection. Rhizoctonia sp. caused seed decay hence inhibited seed germination.Keywords: damping-off, Rhizoctonia sp., sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria)