Performance of some new bioformulations against tomato fusarium wilt

Abstract EN

Rhizobacteria strainsof Bacillus pseudomycoidesM3, Brevibacillus brevisM4 and Stenotrophomonas maltophiliaBG4 were assayed for its antifungal activity against Fusarium oxysporum f.

sp.

Lycopersici ; a phytopathogenic fungus causing wilt in tomato and evaluated to formulate carrier-based bioformulations.

The viability of these bacterial strains was monitored at different time intervals during the period of storage at room temperature in different carriers; such as peatmos, sawdust, biochar, peatmos-biochar, sawdust-biochar and kaolin.

Biochar was found to be the most efficient carrier material for the three bacterial strains, followed by other carriers.

Tomato seeds were coated with different carrier-based bioformulations experiments were carried out to access its effects against wilt disease.

Biochar-based bioformulations showed higher colonies forming unit counts and maximum viability for bacterial strains at 180 days of storage.

Minimum percentage of disease incidence and severity were observed in biochar inoculated with mixture of three bacterial strains.

Maximum increase in plant growth parameters (plant height, dry and fresh weight) were ascertained amongst all bioformulations from field experiment, biochar inoculated with bacterial strains performed consistently thriving results for tomato yield.

Furthermore, seed treatment with bacterial formulation induced plants to synthesize defense enzymes; such as peroxidase and chitinase, whereas an additional increase in the synthesis was observed in biochar followed by peatmos-biochar pretreated plants challenge inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum f.

sp.

lycopersici.