Application of Electrolyzed Water in the Context of Disease Control for Tomato Seedlings

Abstract

Abstract—The purpose of this study was to experimentally assess the effectiveness of using electrolyzed water to suppress the activity and contain the spread of phytopathogens when growing tomato seedlings during the off-season. The object of research was artificially cultivated phytocenoses of tomato seedlings. Qualitative and quantitative laws characterizing the dependence of phytopathogenic microflora distribution in tomato seedlings during the electrolyzed water treatment, as well as methods and operating parameters after electrolyzed water application, were studied. Quantitative assessment of disease control in tomato seedlings was made taking into account the species composition of phytopathogens. The effectiveness of electrolyzed water application for suppressing the activity of the causative agents of Fusarium root rot (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicisly-copersici), Septoria lycopersici, and tomato root rot (Pythium debaryanum and P. ultimum) has been confirmed. It was found that pathogens—causative agents of Fusarium root rot—are the most sensitive to treatments with catholite –600 mV; their distribution is also well controlled by anolyte +800 mV. Such parameters of electrochemical water treatment turned out to be optimal for disinfecting soil in monotechnology, which ensured a reduction in the total number of affected plants by 34.8–63.6%. The use of electric water with the microbiological drug Bisolbisan under alternate spraying patterns with a 1-day interval has reduced the number of selected plants by 44.4–66.6%. This method has also been proven to be the most effective and ensured the containment of distribution of listed diseases at the level of 0.8–2.0%.