Incidence and severity of white mold in common bean submitted to different cultivation practices

ABSTRACT Due to the socioeconomic importance of common bean in Brazil, studies that allow establishing favorable conditions for not compromising the crop with white mold, in view of the enormous damages caused by this fungus, become vital to Brazilian agriculture. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence and severity of white mold in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), cultivar ‘Madrepérola’, subjected to different irrigation intervals, planting densities and fungicide application. The research was conducted in Viçosa-MG, Brazil, in the years 2011 and 2012. The statistical analysis used the split-split-plot scheme. The fungicide applications (with or without fungicide) were allocated to plots, the irrigation intervals (3, 6, 9 and 12 days) to sub-plots and planting densities (6, 9, 12 and 15 plants per linear meter) to sub-subplots, in a randomized block design with three replicates. The variation of the irrigation intervals did not contribute significantly to the control of white mold. It is recommended to use lower planting densities in order to minimize the damages caused by the disease. The use of the fungicide was the main method of white mold control in two consecutive years.