Terra vera technology usage for suppression of coffee leaf rust Hemileia vastatrix in Brandon Hill, Jamaica

Abstract

In Jamaica the incidence of Coffee Leaf Rust (CLR) continues to contribute to the reduction in coffee production annually. Terra Vera Technology (TV) offers a safer alternative to Highly Hazardous Pesticides (HHP) due to its formulation of a non-toxic, all-natural solution. This investigation aimed to assess the efficacy of TV on coffee plants displaying symptoms of coffee leaf rust (CLR). The experimental research plot was established in the Blue Mountain coffee growing region of Brandon Hill, St Andrew, where plants were assessed for the incidence of CLR. Disease presenting plants were allocated with one of four experimental conditions; a 2:1 or 3:1 solution of reverse osmosis (RO) water to TV, RO water alone or no-application at all. Each experimental condition included plants with a range of disease severities as determined using a disease severity chart. The evidence presented may suggest some level of suppression of CLR from the use of TV on infected coffee plants. The relative change in disease severity was reduced on the coffee plants that were applied with TV versus the controls assessed over a nine-week period. For all the coffee plants that were applied with TV, the decrease in levels of CLR observed was consistent for both concentrations. The 3:1 TV was less effective than the 2:1 TV, from week 5 of TV applications and assessments; a significant (< 0.05) difference between the TV 3:1 and TV 2:1 was observed. The results generated are indicative of the 2:1 TV concentration as being a potential antifungal agent for the treatment and suppression of CLR disease.