Effects of soil application of fly ash on the fusarial wilt on tomato cultivars

Abstract

A study was carried out in microplots to evaluate the effect of fly ash on the plant growth and yield of tomato cultivars, Pusa Ruby, Pusa Early Dwarf and New Uday, and on wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici . Fly ash was applied to soil by broadcast or in rows at the rate of 1, 2, 3 and 4 kg ash m-2 in place of inorganic fertilizers. In control plots, NPK (about 40 : 20 : 20 kg acre-1) and compost were added in place of fly ash. Ash application greatly increased the soil contents of P, K, B, Ca, Mg, Mn, Zn, carbonates, bicarbonates and sulphates. Plants grown in the ash-treated plots, especially at 3 or 4 kg dose, showed luxuriant growth and greener foliage, and plant growth and yield of the three cultivars were significantly increased in comparison with the plants grown in plots without fly ash. The wilt fungus, F. oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici at the inoculum level of 2 g plant-1 caused significant suppression of growth and yield in all three cultivars. Application of fly ash, however, checked the suppressive effect of the fungus, leading to a significant increase in the considered variables compared with the inoculated control. Soil population of the fungus (colony-forming units g soil-1) gradually decreased with an increase in ash dose. Row application was found to be relatively more effective in enhancing the yield of tomato cultivars and suppressing the wilt disease. The greatest increase in the yield of fungus inoculated and uninoculated plants due to broadcast or row application at 3 or 4 kg ash m-2 was recorded in tomato cv. Pusa Ruby (39 - 61 and 9 - 24%), followed by Pusa Early Dwarf (31 - 61 and 17 - 34%) and New Uday (21 - 35 and 4 - 22%).