Reaction of the native Greek tomato varieties ‘Chondrokatsari Messinias’ and ‘Katsari Santorinis’ to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and Rhizoctonia solani infection

Abstract

SummaryPlants have to cope with a number of biotic stresses among which, infectious diseases. The present study was conducted to investigate the reaction of two native Greek tomato vars, ‘Chondrokatsari Messinias’ and ‘Katsari Santorinis’, to infection by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and Rhizoctonia solani. Disease symptoms, disease incidence and severity were recorded and the effects of infection on the number of flowers, the biomass production (fresh and dry weight), CO2assimilation, stomatal conductance and transpiration were also evaluated. Both tomato varieties were susceptible to F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and R. solani infection. However, ‘Chondrokatsari Messinias’ was found to be less susceptible to F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici compared to ‘Katsari Santorinis’. Both pathogens negatively affected biomass production of var. ‘Chondrokatsari Messinias’ but not that of ‘Katsari Santorinis’. The number of fl owers produced by ‘Chondrokatsari Messinias’ was negatively affected by R. solani but not by F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. Infection of both varieties by R. solani also caused reduction in the CO2assimilation, stomatal conductance and transpiration.

Genomic and Metabolomic Insights into Secondary Metabolites of the Novel Bacillus halotolerans Hil4, an Endophyte with Promising Antagonistic Activity against Gray Mold and Plant Growth Promoting Potential

“…For this reason, crop plant S. lycopersicum var. Chondrokatsari Messinias was selected [61], to which the bacterial strain was applied as seed biopriming and incubated in vitro. Hil4 achieved earlier germination and increased all characteristics measured after 8 days of incubation, including fresh weight, shoot length, root length, and root area compared to the untreated control plants, while its colonization on the root was verified with dilution plating and microscopy.…”

“…Seeds of Solanum lycopersicum var. Chondrokatsari Messinias were selected, which is a native Greek variety [61], while the bacterial inoculation was carried out by the method of seed biopriming using CMC (1%) as adhesive.…”