Investigating the Efficacy of Diverse Biopesticides for Managing Fusarium Wilt Disease of Tomato

Abstract

Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum L) are considered as most useful vegetable crop and badly affected by Fusarium wilt disease on global scale including Pakistan. Its management with synthetic chemicals is highly suitable but farmers are reported multiple health hazards cases by judicious use of chemical and careless handling of chemicals, therefore a proven safe approach was implemented to treat this notorious causal agent by developing eco-friendly manner through implementation of biopesticides. In this study the aqueous extract of neem leaves and neem seeds were shown to be the most effective followed by garlic, thorn apple and eucalyptus showed lowest disease incidence percentage (%)., additionally a lowest root infection percentage and lowest plant biomass was seen in tomato plants. Moreover, in comparison of biological control agents Neuspora sp., Chaetomium subaffine, Arthrinium sp. and T.harzianum. T.harzianum was determined as most effective in terms of least disease percentage at high and medium doses. However: high, medium and low doses, of Neurospora sp., Arthrinium sp, and C. subaffine reported larger plant biomass and lower root infection percentage, Respectively, Nigrospora sphaerica and Dermateaceae sp. outlined the lowest response., In this study N. sphaerica,  Neurospora sp., Arthrinium sp., and Dermateaceae sp. were identified first time as promising biopesticides against tomato Fusarium wilt disease. Through this research it i strongly suggested that T.harzianum and Neurospora sp., neem leaves and seed aqueous extracts, can be used as promising biopesticides to restrict tomato Fusarium wilt disease of tomato for eco-friendly management