Fungi associated with maize and beam grown as a mixture by small scale farmers in Kenya, and their control

Seeds from two local cultivars each of maize and bean grown as a mixture by small scale farmers in Kenya were tested for seed-borne fungi. The dominant fungi recovered were Fusarium moniliforme, Aspergillus niger and Penicillium sp. from maize, and Fusarium solani f. sp. phaseoli and Penicillium sp. from bean seeds. Of the three fungicides tested Benlate was the most effective seed treatment followed by captan and copper oxycloride in reducing the percentage of total fungal recovery and increasing the percentage germination in vitro.