© Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Abstracts - 16th Hellenic Phytopathological Congress
61
number was higher compared to the other
treatments. Fruits derived from CMV-infect-
ed plants ripened later than those from all
other treatments and showed significantly
enhanced antioxidant capacity, ascorbate,
lycopene and β-carotene contents. Week-
ly BTH application to healthy plants nega-
tively affected plant growth, fruit size and
marketable yield. The nutritional status of
tomatoes, as defined by nonstructural car-
bohydrates, organic acids and antioxidants
content, was not significantly affected by
the BTH treatment, except for the lycopene
and β-carotene contents, which were signif-
icantly higher than in control fruits. BTH, ap-
plied before and after CMV inoculation, in-
duced systemic acquired resistance (SAR)
and clearly suppressed CMV infection, not
only reducing the virus infection rate but im-
proving plant growth and fruit size of plants
subsequently infected with CMV. Repeated
foliar applications of BTH could be used to
reduce the damage caused by CMV in seri-
ous viral epidemics.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of soil solarization with impermeable
plastic films in combination with half the recommended dose of soil
fumigants for the control of soil borne pathogens
P.P. A
NTONIOU
1
J.O. G
IANNAKOU
2
and E.C. T
JAMOS
1
1
Department of Plant Pathology,
2
Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and
Entomology, Department of crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera
Odos Str., GR-118 55 Athens, Greece
The aim of this work was to evaluate the
effectiveness of soil solarization with im-
permeable plastic films (ORGASUN), for 4
and 6 weeks under greenhouse conditions
on Crete, in combination with half of the
recommended dose of soil disinfectants,
against soil borne pathogens. The imperme-
able plastic film was compared with com-
mon polyethylene film. The disinfectants
and doses that were used in the experimen-
tation were CONDOR: 20 l/1000m
2
. (100%)
greenhouse, 10 l/1000m
2
. (50%) greenhouse.
VAPAM: 55l/1000m
2
. (100%) greenhouse,
27 l/1000m
2
. (50%) greenhouse. CHLO-
ROPICRINE: Pic (67:33 v/v) l/1000m
2
(100%)
greenhouse, l/1000m
2
(50%) greenhouse.
The experiments were carried out in toma-
to greenhouses in the Tympaki region and
at the experimental station in Kalessa, Her-
aklion. The experiment began in July 2011,
and the evaluation took place between Oc-
tober 2011 and April 2012 at the end of the
cultivation period. The following were stud-
ied: the effect of treatments in soil temper-
ature, on the population and in the disease
index of knot nematodes (
Meloidogyne
sp).
Additionally, the effect of treatments on the
population dynamics of
Fusarium oxyspo-
rum
, on the severity of the disease caused
by
Fusarium oxysporum
f.sp.
radicis lycoper-
sici
and the percentage of diseased plants
with symptoms of vessel discoloration and
stem rot, was also examined. Moreover, the
effect of treatment on the percentage of dis-
eased tomato plants caused by
Pyrenochae-
ta lycopersici
was also studied. The following
conclusions were drawn: the soil tempera-
tures that were recorded during soil solar-
ization in the Tympaki and Kalessa green-
houses were initially suitable to achieve
for effective soil solarization. However lat-
er, due to the low air temperatures the mar-
ginal levels of effectiveness of this meth-
od were reduced. The fungal populations
were very high in the control greenhouses
(disease index 8.46-9.33). Soil solarization in
combination with fumigants resulted in a
very low disease index. Also an exception-
al reduction the in natural soil populations
of
Fusarium oxysporum
was noted, with ef-
fective control of Fusarium wilt and crown
rot caused by
Fusarium oxysporum
f.sp.
radi-
cis lycopersici
and corky root rot caused by
Pyrenochaeta lycopersici
was achieved with
the combined use of half doses of fumigants
and the impermeable plastic film Orgasun.
