Plant Extract Treatments Induce Resistance to Bacterial Spot by Tomato Plants for a Sustainable System

Abstract

The aim of this study is to assess the effect of extracts of Nerium oleander, Eucalyptus chamadulonsis and Citrullus colocynthis against bacterial spot disease of tomato and to investigate the induction of resistance by tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in order to promote a sustainable management system. The antibacterial activity of aqueous and ethanol plant extracts was tested against Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria, isolate PHYXV3, in vitro and in vivo. The highest antibacterial activity in vitro was obtained with C. colocynthis, N. oleander and E. chamadulonsis, respectively. In vivo, ethanol extracts of N. oleander and E. chamadulonsis were more effective than aqueous extracts in reducing pathogen populations on tomato leaves. Under greenhouse conditions, application of the plant extracts at 15% (v/v) to tomato plants significantly reduced disease severity and increased the shoot weight of ‘Super Marmande’ tomato. In most cases, plant extracts significantly increased total phenol and salicylic acid content of tomato plants compared to either healthy or infected ones. In addition, C. colocynthis and E. chamadulonsis extracts significantly increased peroxidase activity while only E. chamadulonsis increased polyphenol oxidase after infection with the causal agent. The results indicated that the plant extracts showed promising antibacterial activity and could be considered an effective tool in integrated management programs for a sustainable system of tomato bacterial spot control.