Potential use of vermicompost against tomato bacterial canker and wilt disease

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of vermicompost (VC) in the control of tomato bacterial canker and wilt disease (Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis), which causes signi cant yield losses in tomato production. In pot experiments, vermicompost was added to pot soil at 10, 20, 30 and 40% doses. In eld experiments, vermicompost was applied to soil at a dose of 600 kg/da.In pot experiments, effect of vermicompost on disease severity varied between 53.4-90.8%. In 40% VC treatments, a low rate of lesions was detected in vascular bundles and the disease infection was suppressed by 66.77%. In eld experiments, a low rate of disease was also detected in VC-treated plants and disease severity was affected by 66.6%. The infection rate in vascular bundles was suppressed by 69.9%. Present ndings revealed that vermicompost signi cantly suppressed tomato bacterial canker and wilt disease and it could be used as an important component of integrated pests and disease management.