Response of tomato (Solanum lycopersicumL.) to nursery inoculation withTrichoderma harzianumand arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi under field conditions

Abstract

The effect of nursery inoculation of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) with Trichoderma harzianum and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Glomus mosseae on fungal root colonization, plant growth, yield and quality of field-grown tomato was investigated. The four treatments included T. harzianum, AMF, T. harzianum'AMF, and uninoculated control. At mid-harvest, 84 days after transplanting, no interactive effect of the fungi on the external mycelium growth was observed. Inoculation with AMF alone or in combination with T. harzianum increased dry shoot weight by 35% and 30%, respectively, during the first season, and by 30% and 21%, respectively, during the second growing season. Trichoderma harzianum increased the percentage of large fruit by 76% in 2008Á2009, whereas AMF increased the percentage of extra-large fruit by 44% in 2009Á2010. Similarly, AMF increased total soluble solids by 10%. Inoculated tomato seedlings with T. harzianum and/or AMF significantly increased early yield of tomato, by 10%, 65% and 70%, respectively, during 2008Á2009, and by 27%, 36% and 37%, respectively during the 2009Á2010 growing season. In conclusion, results of the study suggested that T. harzianum and AMF have the potential to improve growth, early yield and fruit quality of field-grown tomato.

Colonization of Greek olive cultivars' root system by arbuscular mycorrhiza fungus: root morphology, growth, and mineral nutrition of olive plants

“…Carretero et al (2009) also found that the biomass distribution between shoot and root of micropropagated cassava clones changed by AMF symbiosis with G. intraradices. Nzanza et al (2012) did not observe differences in dry shoot/root ratio for S. lycopersicum plants between single AMF colonization by G. mosseae and double one (by both G. mosseae and Trichoderma harzianum).…”

“…Apart from the infl uence of AMF on nutrient uptake, other positive aspects of mycorrhization include raise of plant growth (Pasqualini et al, 2007;Dag et al, 2009;Sheng et al, 2009;Shokri and Maadi, 2009), increase of the rate of photosynthesis and transpiration, greater stomatal conductance (Caravaca et al, 2003;Wu and Zou, 2010), enhancement of nursery and post-transplant fi eld response and decrease of transplanting stress (Carretero et al, 2009;Dag et al, 2009), increase of plant tolerance to drought (Marulanda et al, 2007), salt stress (Sheng et al, 2009) and serpentine edaphic stress (Doubkova et al, 2012), as well as protection from nematodes attack (Castillo et al, 2006), improvement of water use effi ciency (Bolandnazar et al, 2007) and amelioration of fruit quality (Nzanza et al, 2012).…”

Response of mycorrhizal hybrid tomato cultivars under saline stress

“…Tomatoes are one of the globally important crops that are known to benefit from a symbiotic relationship with mycorrhizae (Nzanza et al, 2012). An electrical conductivity (EC) of > 2.5 dS m -1 reduces tomato yields, as reported by Sonneveld and Welles (1988).…”

Control of whiteflies and aphids in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) by fermented plant extracts of neem leaf and wild garlic

“…Each block was separated with 2.5 m border between blocks. Cultural practices, irrigation and fertilisation were done according to ZZ2's standard operating procedures (Nzanza et al, 2011).…”

“…In South Africa, chemical insecticides are commonly used in attempt to control whitefly and aphid population densities (Nzanza et al, 2011). The presence of waxy shelters formed by the whiteflies, which resists penetration of chemicals and deters contact with the pest's immobile nymphal and pupal stages as well as the mobility and tremendous reproductive ability of aphids have contributed to reduced efficacy of chemical control (van Lenteren, 1990;Lowery et al, 1993;James, 2003;Yang et al, 2010).…”