Effect of exogenous application of salicylic acid on the severity of tomato leaf curl disease

Issue Date

2016

Abstract

Salicylic acid (SA) is a natural plant hormone involved in natural plant defense against diseases by acting as the signaling molecule for triggering systemic acquired resistance. In the absence of the plant innate natural defense, the resistance can be induced through exogenous application SA or its functional analogue. In this study, the effect of SA treatment on the severity of leaf curl disease of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) was evaluated under screen house conditions in two experimental trials at the Crop Protection Cluster, University of the Philippines Los Baños from 2012 to 2013. The study sought to determine the concentration of SA applied at different time of induction which can effectively reduce the severity of the disease. Healthy seedlings of susceptible tomato variety, Apollo White were treated by spraying with 50, 250 or 500μM SA at 5, 10 or 15 days before inoculation (dbi). At induction time of 5 dbi, treatment with 250μM SA had lowest leaf curl infection compared with the untreated control, while at 10 and 15 dbi, leaf curl infection was lowest with treatment of 50μM SA. Likewise, treatment with 50μM SA regardless of induction time had consistently delayed and reduced the severity of leaf curl disease. Generally, plants treated with 50μM SA had reduced amount of disease (AUDPC values), lower symptom severity score and lower disease index (DI) than the untreated control. The severity of the disease was also reduced with 250 and 500 μM SA treatment but the effect was more consistent with 50μM.

Source or Periodical Title

Journal of the International Society for Southeast Asian Agricultural Sciences

ISSN

0859-3132

Volume

22

Issue

1

Page

137-145

Document Type

Article

Physical Description

illustrations, tables, graphs

Language

English

Subject

Induced resistance, Systemic acquired resistance

Digital Copy

yes

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