Effects of Salicylic Acid Concentration and Exposure Time on the Surface Fungal Load of Tulip Bulbs

Aims: The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of various SA concentrations and exposure times on the surface fungal load (SFL) of tulip bulbs. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Plant Protection, Kocaeli University, in the year of 2022. Methodology: The tulip bulb (Tulipa gesneriana L. cv. Royal Ten) used in the study was obtained from an officially registered flower bulb company in Türkiye. SA solutions ranging from 0 to 1600 ppm were prepared and used to treat tulip bulbs for 1, 6, 12, and 24 hours. Microbiological analysis involved assessing fungal growth inhibition through colony counts on potato dextrose agar plates after incubation. Statistical analysis, employing ANOVA and Scheffe tests, evaluated significant differences in fungal growth inhibition across different SA concentrations and exposure times. Results: According to the results, the SFL of tulip bulbs decreased with increasing SA concentrations. Additionally, SA treatment significantly lowered SFL according to the initial log CFU at all exposure times except for one-hour exposure. The EC50 of SA values changed as a function of the exposure times, which ranged from 194 to 23 ppm against the SFL of tulip bulbs. These results suggest that SA may be a promising candidate for the treatment of fungal diseases in tulips. Conclusion: SA demonstrated effective antifungal properties compared to synthetic fungicides, suggesting it could mitigate storage diseases in tulip bulbs. Recommendations included using 1600 ppm SA for six hours or 800 ppm SA for 24 hours to manage fungal contamination before storage or planting of tulip bulbs.