Study reveals fungicidal benefits of ‘kamantigue’ on durian

By Alex Villafania
INQUIRER.net

A STUDY from the University of Southeastern Philippines in Davao City has found that a compound from garden balsam (Impatiens balsamina), otherwise known as “kamantigue,” can control a disease striking the durian.

Durian is a major export product from southern Mindanao but is constantly being attacked by serious diseases by the fungi Phytophthora palmivora. Durian is constantly attacked by stem canker, root rot, leaf blight, die-back of seedlings and mature trees and the rotting of fruits.

The study, headed by USEP Professor Belly Dionio, said that production losses in the durian industry across Southeast Asia are estimated to be around 20 percent to 25 percent annually.

Dionio focused on garden balsam as an alternative to the otherwise hazardous use of expensive synthetic fungicides. An extract from red and violet garden balsam showed that it is toxic to P. palmivora and is as effective as the commercially available fungicide Fosetyl-al.

Dionio’s research team found that by using the garden balsam extract, they were able to reduce lesions on durian plants as much as 86 percent when the extract is sprayed an hour before plants are introduced to the P. palmivora strain. Likewise, the plants show 78 percent reduction in lesions when these are sprayed with the garden balsam extract an hour after these are exposed to P. palmivora.

Defoliation (death of leaves) due to the fungus is also lower in durian plants sprayed with the extract.

They also found out that the extract can remain effective even if it is stored in room temperature for 13 weeks, making it viable as a cheap and safe long-term preventive measure against durian diseases.

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