BioControl (2009) 54, 685-695

S.C. Vanitha, S.R. Niranjana, C.N. Mortensen and S. Umesha (2009)
Bacterial wilt of tomato in Karnataka and its management by Pseudomonas fluorescens
BioControl 54 (5), 685-695
Abstract: Field surveys undertaken in major tomato growing districts of the Karnataka state, located in southern part of India, revealed a high incidence of bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum and it is one of the most destructive bacterial diseases of economically important crops. Across all the tomato cultivars under evaluation, the disease incidence in plants ranged from 9% to 39% whereas the incidence in seeds ranged from 4% to 18%. The effects of tomato seed treatments with Pseudomonas fluorescens in the control of bacterial wilt under greenhouse conditions revealed that the treatments protected plants against soil-borne infections of the bacterial wilt organism. Seed treatment with antagonistic P. fluorescens strain significantly improved the quality of seed germination and seedling vigour. The disease incidence was significantly reduced in plants raised from P. fluorescens treated seeds followed by challenge inoculation with R. solanacearum. Periodic field surveys for the incidence of bacterial wilt of tomato could be recommended to monitor the populations of the bacterial wilt pathogen. Workable measures are presented that could lead to the reduction of the prevalence of this serious disease in affected fields of the small farm-holders.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): S. Umesha, Siddapura Ramachandrappa Niranjana, Carmen N. Mortensen

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
control - general
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
evaluation - screening - selection

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Ralstonia solanacearum	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)	India
Pseudomonas fluorescens (antagonist)	Ralstonia solanacearum	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)	India