Management of Tomato Fusarium Wilt and Septoria Leaf Spot through the Use of Plant Extracts and Tomato Cultivars, in Owerri, South East, Nigeria
E. M. Nwokeji *
Department of Crop Science and Technology, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
V. E. Ogwudire
Department of Crop Science and Technology, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
C. P. Anyanwu
Department of Crop Science and Technology, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
C. O. Cooky
Department of Crop Science and Technology, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
E. R. Keyagha
Department of Crop Science and Technology, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
G. O. Ihejirika
Department of Crop Science and Technology, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
A. A. Ngwuta
Department of Crop Science and Technology, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The present study was carried out to ascertain how tomato fusarium wilt and Septoria leaf spot could be managed through the application of some plant extracts and tomato cultivars. The effect of selected plant extracts, and how some tomato cultivars could impact on tomato fusarium wilt and Septoria leaf spot diseases were observed. The study was conducted in the year, 2015, at the Experimental Farms of the Department of Crop Science and Technology, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. The soil of the area is characterized by deep, porous, red soil, highly weathered and low in mineral reserves [1]. The study was designed as a 3 x4 factorial in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), replicated three (3) times as field and laboratory experiments. Data on disease incidence and severity were measured and statistically analyzed using Genstat version 2011 analytical software, while the means were separated for difference using Fisher’s least Significant Difference protocol. Percentage wilt disease incidence was not significantly (P>0.05.) influenced by cultivars and extracts in all the weeks of transplanting. Tomato leaf spot disease incidence was significantly (P<0.05) influenced by tomato cultivars in weeks 4 and 8. Interactions between cultivars and plant extracts significantly (P<0.05) affected wilt disease incidence in week 4. Recommendation can be given to Tropimech cultivars treated with basil plant parts extract and Rio Grande treated with ginger rhizome extract as wilt disease incidence and severity were drastically reduced to 8.10 % and 1.67 respectively. In the case of tomato leaf spot incidence, Roma VF, when treated with Basil plant extract and ginger rhizome extract can be recommended for the management of tomato Septoria leaf spot disease as incidence was lowest(0.00%) respectively. Furthermore, Tropimech tomato cultivar and Rio Grande should not be grown without plant extracts if management of tomato Septoria leaf spot is the target, as the incidence of the disease was the highest (10.89% and 8.17%) in the control plots, in weeks 4 and 8, respectively.
Keywords: Sansevieria suffruticossa, Management, aerial,, leaf spot, terrestrial, tomato wilt tomato, dimorphic, extracts, acropetal,, sep septoria leaf spot, exodermis, cultivars, unistratose, scattered, collateral,, cencentric