Alternaria solani is a destructive pathogen to the tomato crop causing heavy losses. The present work was designed during 2015-16 to evaluate the efficacy of Bion and salicylic acid as early blight disease suppressors as well as their use as plant activators under greenhouse conditions. The current study was carried out at field area of Plant Pathology University of Agriculture Faisalabad. Foliar and seedling root dipping application of Bion and salicylic acid (125 ppm and 2 mM) not only reduced the disease severity but also enhanced the plant growth. Maximum disease severity was observed in infected control while minimum disease severity was observed in case of Bion with foliar application in both years. A remarkable increase was observed in Chlorophyll a, b, root fresh/dry weight, photosynthetic rate, shoot fresh/dry weight and growth attributes when A. solani inoculated tomato plants were treated with foliar sprays of Bion. A significant healing to cell membrane was observed to reduce the electrolyte leakage in case of Bion and SA application through foliar spray in inoculated plants. Total soluble carbohydrates and total soluble protein contents are increased when Bion was applied through foliar application as compared to seedling root dipping. Increasing trend was observed in 2 nd year of study. It is concluded that foliar application of Bion could be more effective in managing the Alternaria solani as well as in enhancing the growth and yield of tomato.

Mangrove forests in North Sumatera existed in the east coast of Sumatera Island and are rapidly degraded due to anthropogenic activities such as mangrove conversion to other land-uses. The present study describes one-year assessment on mangrove rehabilitation in Lubuk Kertang village, Langkat, North Sumatra, Indonesia. The restoration was carried on May 2016 using indirect planting of 6,000 Rhizophora apiculata seedlings. R. apiculata belongs to Rhizophoraceace family with hardwoods, have good stilt roots that can survive in mud substrate. The assessment was carried out in 4 plots with each plot consist of 100 plants. The evaluation parameters of mangrove reforestation comprise of seedling growth rate, diameter and height, leaf thickness and some leaves. Results show that the growth rate for first-year assessment was 92.3 % considered successful because of the average percent growth of plants ≥ 70 %. By contrast, the height, diameter, and a number of leaves seedlings planting were shown variation performance of among the plots observed. Our present study suggested that success factors in the rehabilitation of mangrove affected by salinity, substrate conditions, pests and diseases and human activities on the rehabilitation site.

Mangrove forests in North Sumatera are rapidly threatened due to anthropogenic activities. The study site was former oil palm plantation, and the areas can be reforested. The present study describes a two-year evaluation on mangrove seedlings in Lubuk Kertang Village, Langkat, North Sumatra, Indonesia. The rehabilitation was carried out on December 2015 using direct planting of 6,000 Rhizophora apiculata propagules which were evaluated twice in September 2017 and January 2018. The evaluation was divided into four plots consisting of hundred seedlings each, and the criteria of mangrove rehabilitation consisted of seedling diameter and height, leaf thickness and number, and seedling growth rate. Results showed that the growth rate for a two-year evaluation of first and second observation was 89 and 92 %, respectively. Similarly, the height, diameter, and some leaves seedlings planting showed better performance in the second measurement. The data are likely to confirm relevant information on successful rehabilitation using recommended species for degraded areas and availability of mangrove propagules in the area.