Effect of calcium nutrition on resistance of tomato against bacterial wilt induced by Ralstonia solanacearum

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of calcium nutrition on tomato bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum and the regulation of resistance mechanisms. Plants cultured in nutrient solution with calcium concentrations of 0.5, 5.0, and 25.0 mM, were inoculated with R. solanacearum by the root dip method. Severity of disease development, Ca concentration in tomato root and shoot tissues, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) concentration, peroxidase (POD, EC 1.11.1.7) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO, EC 1.10.3.2) in tomato leaves were analyzed. Disease severities of low, medium and high Ca treatments were 100 %, 77.1 % and 56.8 % respectively. Plant growth in high Ca treatment was significantly better than those in low Ca treatment in height, stem diameter and biomass. Tomato plants absorbed significantly more Ca in roots and shoots as the level of Ca in the nutrient solution increased. In addition, H2O2 level in high Ca treatment rose faster and reached a higher peak with 10.86 μM gFW−1(31.32 % greater than medium Ca plants). The activities of POD and PPO also have a greater increase in high Ca treatment with 99.09 U gFW−1 and 107.24 U gFW−1 compared to 40.70 U gFW−1 and 77.45 U gFW−1 in low Ca treatment. A negative correlation was found between Ca concentration, level of H2O2, POD, PPO in tomato, and disease severity, indicating that they played an important role in resistance of tomato to this disease. These results suggested that Ca was involved in the regulation of H2O2 concentration, and activity of POD and PPO in tomato.