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Bacterial wilt of tomato in Karnataka and its management by Pseudomonas fluorescens

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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.

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Acknowledgement

The present study is the result of research work entitled “Molecular Studies on Bacterial Wilt of Tomato and its Management” awarded by Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship Scheme, University Grants Commission, Government of India, New Delhi, India.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Studies in Biotechnology, University of Mysore, Manasagangotri, Mysore, Karnataka, 570006, India

    S. C. Vanitha, S. R. Niranjana & S. Umesha

  2. Danish Seed Health Centre for Developing Countries, Department of Plant Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Thorvaldsensvej 40, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Copenhagen, Denmark

    C. N. Mortensen

Authors
  1. S. C. Vanitha
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  2. S. R. Niranjana
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  3. C. N. Mortensen
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  4. S. Umesha
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Correspondence to S. Umesha.

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Handling Editor: Monica Hofte.

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Vanitha, S.C., Niranjana, S.R., Mortensen, C.N. et al. Bacterial wilt of tomato in Karnataka and its management by Pseudomonas fluorescens . BioControl 54, 685–695 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-009-9217-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10526-009-9217-x

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