Incidence of Bacterial Wilt in Tomato during Summer in Rampur

Abstract

To study severity of bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum and other diseases on tomato cultivar "Pusa Ruby" in summer, seedlings were transplanted on March 15, April 5, April 11, May 5 and May 20, 2001 in Horticulture Farm of the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, Rampur. Plants started wilting and dying 10 to 12 and 18 to 25 days after transplanting, respectively. The highest percentage of plants wilted from the second week of May to the second week of June. Fruit rot and viral disease also appeared as serious problems, which caused up to 62.7% fruit rot and 80.0% plant infection, respectively. In rotten fruits, conidia and acervuli of Colletotrichum phomoides were found, whereas viral disease could not be diagnosed. Fruit set and yield were very low in general, although comparatively higher yield was obtained in the first two plantings which decreased drastically and reached to zero in the last two plantings. Higher varietal susceptibility to bacterial wilt and viral disease and unfavourable weather could have caused low fruit set, low yield and high fruit rot. Studies on varietal screening and epidemiological aspects would be prioritized in future. Cultivation of Pusa Ruby tomato will not be suitable in this existing situation at Rampur and similar conditions during summer

J. Inst. Agric. Anim. Sci. 25:31-37 2004