Inventory of different fungi in quinoa seed samples and investigation of control methods in Burkina Faso

This study investigated quinoa's susceptibility to fungal diseases in Burkina Faso, identifying pathogens and assessing management strategies. Researchers used naturally infested seeds, seeds treated with essential oils and chemical fungicides, and seedlings, employing a blotting paper method with a completely randomized design (16 replicates per treatment) to identify fungal species based on their micro-morphological characteristics. The study identified 27 fungal species from 15 genera, comprising 3,686 colonies, with 10 pathogenic species commonly found across locations. Fungicide treatments were safe, with high germination (89.15-96.42%) and emergence rates (72.74-97.16%). Cymbopogon citratus essential oil was most effective, eliminating 11 of 14 fungi, while Imidacloprid and Thiram eliminated 9 species, making them recommended treatments for quinoa seeds in Burkina Faso. Key words: Quinoa, fungicides, essential oils, pathogenic fungi, seed treatment.