Premium
The effect of early blight disease caused by Alternaria solani on shoot growth of young tomato plants
Author(s) -
COFFEY M. D.,
WHITBREAD R.,
MARSHALL C.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
annals of applied biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.677
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1744-7348
pISSN - 0003-4746
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-7348.1975.tb01596.x
Subject(s) - biology , alternaria solani , blight , inoculation , shoot , alternaria , spore , horticulture , dry weight , leaf spot , agronomy , botany
SUMMARY The effect of increasing spore concentration of Alternaria solani (Early blight disease) on the shoot growth of young tomato plants was analysed. Changes in growth were related to the severity of infection which increased with increasing inoculum. Leaf production was not affected but dry weights and especially leaf expansion were decreased. The effective leaf areas of the five inoculated leaves (L1‐L5 numbered from the plant base) were drastically decreased by expanding necrotic lesions and, to a lesser extent, by premature leaf fall. Healthy leaves expanding soon after inoculation (L6, L7) were markedly affected by the disease on the lower leaves and had decreased specific leaf areas (ratio of leaf area to leaf dry weight) but later formed (from L8) leaves were less affected and had greater specific leaf areas than equivalent leaves on uninoculated plants.