Mancozeb

[Saraburi121]

Local agriculture store recommended Mancozeb to apply to my chili peppers.  Problem with chili peppers is they get brown rotten spots just as they are they are turning red as does everyone else's in the village.  Tried most of the suggestions in my previous post below to no avail.  Bacillum Subtilis had some effect but didn't stop the rotting upon ripening problem. Tomatoes, jalapeños, habanero's have the same problem planted in our soil.  Seems the Prik Kee Nu is the only chili pepper that does ok which are good to eat with Isaan Sausage and make nam jim.   Have huge healthy chili pepper plants but same problem with getting brown spots just as they ripen.  The local guy at the Ag store said using this fungicide is the only way you can grow chilis in this area (northern Saraburi).  Its only 65 baht for a small package so I I am going to give it a try. Said mix 60 grams per 20 liters and foliar spray.  Said it was good to prevent problems with banana yellow leaves.   Still researching this. 

 

If anyone has experience using Mancozeb on chilis and bananas a bit of advice would be appreciated!

 

 

 

[drtreelove]

Mancozeb is a last resort in a vicious cycle that you get into with chemical fertilizers that are detrimental to soil health, which creates susceptibility to disease, and then trying to control the diseases with chemical fungicides.

 

Mancozeb — toxicity, side effects, diseases and environmental impacts (naturalpedia.com)

 

Did you follow up on Evolare's recommendations for soil building from the previous discussion?  Don't underestimate the benefits of getting the soil management right, which helps the plants build natural resistance to pests and diseases.  

 

Bacillus subtilis and other biological fungicides do not work in the same way that chemical fungicides work.  Wrong expectations and incomplete management are the reason that growers say they don't work. They are only effective as one component a comprehensive program that includes good soil and water managment. 

 

My wife and I have had home gardens in California and Chiang Mai, with minimal pest and disease problems for chillies and other plants.  But I always do soil testing with the same lab that Evolare uses (most local labs incl universites are chemical program oriented for jacking up maximum yield, and not oriented for complete nutrition, high nutrient density, high quality )..

 

When starting a new garden in less-than-ideal soil, I double-dig according to the 'grow biointensive' method.  http://growbiointensive.org/   (in the 1970's I studied with John Jeavons, author of "How To Grow More Vegetables ... " and I still like this method. )  It's somewhat contray to "no till", but I like it to get a new garden started. 

 

With the initial dig. I incorporate finished compost and the Rx amendments. At the same time, I inoculate with beneficial soil biology, including micorrhizal fungi.  Yes its a lot of work and some expense, but it pays off in the long run.  With a good start like this, it doesn't take much to maintain plant health and productivity. Weeding is the biggest chore, but with mixed species cover cropping, companion planting and biointensive planting beds style, the work is minimized. 

 

I use hydrolyzed fish fertilizer and kelp extract for once a month maintenance fertility during growing season, which helps the beneficial biology thrive. When I have it together to make compost tea, I use that as a soil drench and foliar spray.  And for sensitive plants with a known prevalent disease issue, I use a specific strain biofungicide like the Bacillus s. Although I prefer Bacillus amyloliquefaciens d747  for soil and foliar when I can get it. And there are other good biofungicides. Trichoderma h. and Actinovate (Streptomyces lydicus WYEC 108) fly off the shelf in organic growers supply shops in California. 

 

Some of these things are not available yet in Thailand, but Evolare's organic growers supply company is working on it. 

 

For prevalent pest issues, with the soil fertility and water managment as a basis, I use preventive applications of an Azadirachtin neem product, mixed with a pyrethum concentrate for knock down, every week or two depending on the pest pressure and life cycle timing. 

Edited July 11, 2021 by drtreelove