Abstract:
Early blight disease caused by Alternaria solaniis the most damaging disease of tomato. This disease causes severe yield losses in tomato. This study was planned to find out the efficacy of Bion and salicylic acid against A. solaniunder greenhouse conditions. The role of resistance inducers in triggering biochemical activities required for resistance induction like peroxidase and total phenolics during 2015-16 were also studied. Test cultivar (Prescot) was treated with Bion (125 mgL-1) and salicylic acid (2 mM) through foliar and seedling root dipping methods to assess the reduction in disease severity and alterations in biochemicals (Peroxidase and total phenolics). Biochemical changes were analyzed from 0 to 10 days (0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10). Maximum reduction in disease severity was observed in Bion treated plants during 2015-16 (54.47 and 53.56%, respectively) while in Salicylic acid treated plants (38.84%, 38.01%) reduction was observed in both years. Maximum biochemical activity was observed after 10 days of Bion and Salicylic acid application. Foliar application of resistance inducers enhanced the biochemical activity as compared to seedling root dipping method. Significant increase in total phenolics (67.96 and 84.26%) and POD activity (11.35 and 8.69%) was observed where Bion was applied on pathogen inoculated plants during both years respectively. Results confirmed that foliar application of Bion could protect the tomato plant from Alternaria solani directlyby strengthening the defense system.
