BIOFERTILIZATION INFLUENCE OF TOMATO SEEDS AND SEEDLINGS BY NON-SYMBIOTIC N2-FIXERS ON TOMATO PLANT GROWTH AND FUSARIUM DISEASE SEVERITY

Tewfike,, T. A.; Abo-Aly, H. E.

doi:10.21608/jacb.2000.260221

BIOFERTILIZATION INFLUENCE OF TOMATO SEEDS AND SEEDLINGS BY NON-SYMBIOTIC N2-FIXERS ON TOMATO PLANT GROWTH AND FUSARIUM DISEASE SEVERITY

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Agric. Botany Dept. (Agric. Microbiology), Fac. of Agric. Moshtohor, Benha Branch, Zagazig Univ. Egypt.

10.21608/jacb.2000.260221

Abstract

Tomato seeds and seedlings were inoculated by using non-symbiotic N₂-fixers Azospirillum brasilense and Azotobacter chroococcum to investigate the biofertilization influence on dehydrogenase activity, plant growth-promoting bacterial population, total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in soil. Fruits physical characteristics and percentage of total phenoles and indoles in fruits were also determined. Moreover, disease incidence of damping-off, in the presence of Fusarium oxysporum pathogen in the presence of biofertilizers were evaluated.
Obtained data showed that, inoculation of seedlings (seeds+ seeding roots) gave the highest values of dehydrogenase activity, azospirilla and azotobacters proliferation, fruits quality and reduction of disease incidence.
Also, results revealed that mixed inoculation of non-symbiotic N₂-fixers increased all tested parameters and reduced disease incidence than single inoculation of either seed inoculation or seedling inoculation by diazotrophs.