GROWTH RESPONSES OF TOMATO (SOLANUM LYCOPERSICUM L.) TO INOCULATION OF ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI AND TRICHODERMA HARZIANUM AND APPLICATIONS OF BIOCHAR AND COMPOST IN THE PRESENCE OF FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM FORMAE SPECIALES LYCOPERSICI UNDER GREEN HOUSE, HAWASSA UNIVERSITY, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Tomatoes (Solanun lycopersicum) are one of the most widely cultivated vegetable crops in Ethiopia. Tomato yields in smallholder cropping systems are below the potential of the crop, due to pests and diseases. Therefore, the objective of this research is to study the effect of inoculation of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Trichoderma harzianum and compost and biochar amendments on tomato biomass, fruit yield and control of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici pathogen under Hawassa University greenhouse. The plants were grown in plastic pots filled with sterilized soils, arranged in a fourteen treatments including the control. A completely randomized design was used and growth measurements and disease severity assessment were taken after 15, 30, and 45 days of transplantation for all growth parameters including fruit yield and effect of the pathogen were measured. During early days of growth for treatments AMF+Fusarium and AMF+Trichoderam was recorded the highest height, leaf area and stem collar diameter for Galilea variety and variable values for ROMA V.F.N variety. When compared to plants treated with F.oxysporum f.sp.l alone and control, improvement in the various growth parameters was recorded in the plants treated with AMF, T. harzianum, biochar, and compost sole and combined. Better fruit yield and pathogen resistance was recorded for Roma variety. In addition to growth parameters all AMF inoculated treatments demonstrated root colonization, and sporulated. Nutrient uptake was enhanced in all treatments except for sole Fusarium and control treatments. Mycorrhizal dependency was better for sole AMF inoculation treatment in both varieties. Disease severity was lower in ROMA variety while Galilea variety was found to be more susceptible to Fusarium pathogen. Accordingly, significant fruit loss was recorded for Galilea variety. AMF and Trichoderma inoculation and application of biochar and compost has improved performance of the two tomato varieties. In addition, it was recorded that ROMA variety is much more resistant to Fusarium pathogen as inoculated with the two bio inoculants, which indicates that different varieties show different resistance to Fusarium pathogen. Therefore, when growing tomato it is recommended to select the appropriate bio pesticides like that of AMF and T. harzianum and appropriate variety of tomatoes. Finally, as this study focused on only two tomato varieties and two bio-inoculants, wide coverage of other bacterial and fungal inoculants production and application in the small holder farms is also recommended.