Yield, Quality and Disease Responses of Three Watermelon Varieties as Subjected to Indigenous Microorganisms

Authors

  • Brigitte Laure T ummo Youbi Laboratory of Biotechnology and Environment, Phytopathology and Plant Protection Research Unit, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon https://orcid.org/0009-0006-8901-9008
  • Astride Carole Djeuani Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaoundé 1, Yaoundé, Cameroon. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4299-8759
  • Sylvere Landry Dida Lontsi Laboratory of Biotechnology and Environment, Phytopathology and Plant Protection Research Unit, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0350-5365
  • Patrice Zemko Ngatsi Laboratory of Biotechnology and Environment, Phytopathology and Plant Protection Research Unit, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6416-4918
  • Etienne Mvondo Akoutou Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), P.O. Box 2123, Yaoundé, Cameroon https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6182-2911
  • Alain Martial Sontsa Donhoung Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), P.O. Box 2123, Yaoundé, Cameroon https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8905-9740
  • Fotso Department of Biology, Higher Teacher Training College, The University of Bamenda, Bamenda, P.O. Box 39, Bambili, Cameroon https://orcid.org/0009-0001-4086-7317
  • Zachee Ambang Laboratory of Biotechnology and Environment, Phytopathology and Plant Protection Research Unit, Department of Plant Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Yaounde I, Yaounde, Cameroon https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2216-1652

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v14i4.1086-1094.8527

Keywords:

Indigenous microorganism , Fusarium osysporum sp. , Stagonosporopsis sp. , Watermelon , Fruits yield and quality

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness of indigenous microorganism (IMO) in association with wheat bran and enhanced with NPK fertilizer, to suppress Fusarium wilt and Gummy stem blight and improve watermelon production. A split-plot experimental design with three watermelon varieties (V1: Kolosse; V2: Pinksweet; V3: Kaolack) and six treatments were used. Three cultivation periods were conducted with different treatment combinations. Experiment 1 and 2 which consisted of control, 30 g IMO, 38 g IMO , 46 g IMO, NPK + Fungicide, 38 g IMO + NPK. Experiment 3 were, based on previous results, IMO rate was increased; the six treatments included control, 50 g IMO, 150 g IMO, 250 g IMO, NPK + fungicide and 150 g IMO + NPK. Epidemiological parameters and morphological identification of two pathogens as well as agronomic parameters were assessed. The results revealed that in the first experiment, 46 g IMO reduced the disease incidence of Fusarium wilt by 23.29 % compare to the control; in the second campaign, no Fusarium wilt symptoms were observed in plants treated with 38 g IMO , 46 g IMO and the combination 38 g IMO +NPK. On the contrary, 30 g IMO increased the disease severity of Gummy stem blight by 44.41 % to 90.42 % compared to NPK + F followed by control. Morphological identification confirmed Fusarium oxysporum sp. and Stagonosporopsis sp. as the causal pathogens. Treatment 150 g IMO + NPK increased the weight of watermelon fruit by 89.30 % compared to control, followed by 250 g IMO. Kolosse variety exhibited the highest TSS in treatment combination with up to 10.40 ° Brix in experiment 3 followed by Pinksweet 10.23 ° Brix. This finding demonstrates that IMO bokashi represented a viable strategy for improving watermelon health and productivity.

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Published

25.03.2026

How to Cite

ummo Youbi, B. L. T., Carole Djeuani, A., Dida Lontsi, S. L., Zemko Ngatsi, P., Mvondo Akoutou, E., Sontsa Donhoung, A. M., Fotso, & Ambang, Z. (2026). Yield, Quality and Disease Responses of Three Watermelon Varieties as Subjected to Indigenous Microorganisms. Turkish Journal of Agriculture - Food Science and Technology, 14(4), 1086–1094. https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v14i4.1086-1094.8527

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 4 (2026)

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Research Paper

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