Abstract
The potency of mustard and ginger rhizome extracts, lemon juice, Atella (residue of traditional Ethiopian beer) and cow urine in controlling tomato seed borne pathogen, Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv) was evaluated. Artificially inoculated seeds were treated by dipping for 30 min, 3 h, 12 h or 24 h. Streptomycin (0.5%), sodium hypochlorides (1%) and control treatments were similarly applied. The test organism was isolated from tomato fruit collected from central Rift Valley of Ethiopia; it belonged to T1P2 race group of Xcv. Tomato seeds were inoculated with Xcv suspensions, dried and dipped at room temperature in the treatments. Atella at all treatment durations completely inactivated (0 cfu/ml) Xcv from inoculated tomato seeds and induced 92 to 98% seed germination. Ginger and mustard extracts showed 0 cfu/ml on Xcv with 24 h soaking, 97 to 81% germination and 2303 to 2270 vigor indexes of tomato seed. A promising bactericidal effect of Atella is an excellent clue of using other traditional alcoholic drink residues in controlling Xcv on tomato seeds for small scale farming.
Key words: seed treatment, Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria, plant extracts, biocontrol.
Abbreviation
Xcv, Xanthomonas campestris pv. Vesicatoria
