MANAGEMENT OF FUSARIUM WILT DISEASE OF TOMATO USING POTASSIUM IODATE AND SILVER NITRATE

This study evaluated the efficacy of potassium iodate (KIO3) and silver nitrate (AgNO3) foliar application in the management of Fusarium wilt of tomato in both screenhouse and field. The experiment was laid out, with three replications, in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in screenhouse and field, respectively. Application of KIO3 and AgNO3 were at 10 mg/L concentration, carbendazim, and untreated plots served as positive and negative controls, respectively. The results in the screenhouse revealed that the lowest disease severity of 1.55 was recorded for Roma VF treated with KIO3, which was significantly lower than 6.00 severity in untreated Roma VF. Moreover, the highest fruit yield of 21,002.50 kg/ha was observed in UC82-B treated with KIO3, which was significantly higher than the least fruit yield of 240.00 and 245.20 kg/ha recorded for untreated Roma VF and UC82-B, respectively. Similar results were observed on the field where the least disease severity of 2.00 was observed in KIO3-treated UC82-B and was significantly lower than 5.67 and 6.00 severity in untreated Roma VF and UC82-B, respectively. The highest fruit yield of 35,350.00 kg/ha was observed in UC82-B treated with KIO3, which was significantly higher than the lowest fruit yield of 1,250.00 kg/ha followed by 1,950.00 kg/ha in untreated Roma VF and UC82-B, respectively. Thus, potassium iodate at 10 mg/L control the effect of Fusarium wilt and enhance the yield of tomato.