Evaluation of Rhizobium etli Strain Ciat 899 as a Biocontrol in Managing Fusarium Wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Fusarium wilt, caused by Fusarium oxysporum, is a devastating disease affecting tomato plants globally with fruit yield loss of about 25-55% when not properly managed. This research was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm, Ekiti State University during the 2024 cropping season to evaluate the effectiveness of Rhizobium etli strain CIAT 899 as a biocontrol agent in managing Fusarium wilt. The experiment was laid out in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with three replicates. The results showed that the analysis of variance was significantly differences (P<0.05) between the two tomato varieties studied for all the traits studied. Significant significances were also recorded between the treatments (control, Rhizobium etli and Carbendazim 12% + Mancozeb 63% WP). However, There was no significant difference (P<0.05) between the Carbendazim 12% + Mancozeb 63% WP and Rhizobium etli for plant height, number of fruits per plant, fresh fruit weight per plant and disease rating. The findings suggest that Rhizobium etli strain CIAT 899 can be a valuable tool in integrated pest management strategies for controlling Fusarium wilt on tomatoes, contributing to improved crop yields and reduced environmental pollution.