Stem rot caused by Sclerotium rolfsii is one of the most devastating disease in tomato. An integrated management strategy implementing potential biotool is required to control this disease. Thus, five on-farm composts were evaluated for their ability to control tomato stem rot and to promote plant growth.
The tested composts, except C 1 , were effective in decreasing disease severity from 31.2 to 56.2%, with a significant similarity between pathogen-inoculated plants treated with C 3 and C 4 and disease-free and untreated controls. Treatments with C 2 and C 4 had significantly enhanced most tomato growth parameters: stem diameter, and dry weights of aerial part and roots. A similar effect was noted for C 3-based treatment on the plant height, the stem diameter, and the root dry weight where the recorded increments as compared to control were estimated at 16.9%, 23.8%, and 80%, respectively.
Tested on S. rolfsii-free plants, compost C 4 was the most efficient in improving all tomato growth parameters by 28.8, 8.54, 92.2 and 80% in their height, stem diameter and aerial part and root dry weights, respectively. A similar significant effect was observed on tomato plants challenged with composts C 2 and C 3. This work demonstrated the ability of composts to control tomato stem rot and to enhance the plant growth.
Read the complete research at www.researchgate.net.
Ayed, Fakher & Aydi Ben Abdallah, Rania & Boussadia, Olfa & Jabnoun-Khiareddine, Hayfa & Daami-Remadi, Mejda. (2022). Potential of Composted Agricultural Wastes to Control Stem Rot and to Promote Growth in Tomato. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies. 31. 1-12.