Induced systemic resistance in tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L. to root knot nematodes by Benzothiadiazole

Abstract

This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of Benzol thaidazole-7carbothioic acid-S-methyl ester (BTH or Bion) to induce systemic resistance in tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L. to root knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp in tomato plants 30d after treatments. Results showed that Bion was efficient in inducing systemic resistance to root knot nematodes in tomato plants. Foliage spraying or soil drenching at 50 mgL-1 were superior over the other test concentrations and seed soaking treatments. At this concentration gall index was 2.11 compared with 5 in control. Root fresh weight and root dry weigh were 6.25 and 0.62, 8.40 and 0.70g for treated and control plants respectively. Shoot fresh weight and dry weight recorded 23.60, 2.29, 17.42 and 1.42g for treated and control plants respectively. The number of second stage juveniles penetrating the roots was 51.33 and 114.88 in treated and control plants respectively. Application of Bion at this concentration also reduced gall index to 2.88 compared with 5 in control. At 50 mgL-1 of Bion root fresh and dry weight was 4.68, 0.44 and 21.40, 2.52g compared with 8.58, 0.69, and 26.21, 4.45g in control plants respectively. At this treatment also a significantly less juveniles, 75.55 entered the roots of treated plants compared with 116.66 juveniles in control.