© Benaki Phytopathological Institute
Hellenic Plant Protection Journal - Special Issue
72
Evaluation of zeolite and Agri-fos 600® in wilt disease management and
the bacterium
Pseudomonas syringae
pv.
tomato
C. L
AGOGIANNI
1
, F. A
GGELOPOULOU
1
, G. Z
AKYNTHINOS
2
and D.I. T
SITSIGIANNIS
1
1
Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University
of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., GR-118 55 Athens, Greece.
2
Technological Educational
Institute (A.T.E.I.) of Kalamata, Department of Food Technology, Kalamata, Greece
Plants, during their long evolutionary path
have developed several complex mecha-
nisms for resistance to a plethora of invad-
ing pathogens (fungi, bacteria and viruses).
The phenomenon of induced and system-
ic acquired resistance is part of the innate
immune system of plants and may be po-
tentiated by biochemical or chemical stim-
ulation of latent resistance mechanisms,
through the the use of nonpathogenic mi-
croorganisms, or chemical compounds. The
objective of this study was the evaluation
of zeolite and Agri-fos 600
®
in the control of
Verticillium
wilt disease and bacterial speck
caused by
Pseudomonas syringae
pv.
toma-
to.
Zeolite is a microporous, aluminosilicate
mineral with specific physicochemical prop-
erties commonly used as a commercial ad-
sorbent and catalyst. Zeolite is common-
ly used as a soil improvement substance,
but its role in disease management has not
been studied. Agri-fos 600
®
is a special for-
mulation consisting of potassium phospho-
nate anions that, apart from their role as
nutrients, have the ability to induce the de-
fence mechanism of plants. Pathogenicity
experiments were performed in
Arabidop-
sis thaliana
infected with
Verticillium dahli-
ae
or
Pseudomonas syringae
pv.
tomato
and
in aubergine infected with
Verticillium dahli-
ae
, where zeolite and Agri-fos 600
®
were ap-
plied in the form of root drench at various
doses. Virulence assays showed that zeolite
and Agri-fos 600
®
have the ability to reduce
the rate of Verticillium wilt in eggplant and
in
A. thaliana
.
Evaluation of Renovation Sekamosa to control Verticillium wilt of eggplant
E.K. L
IGOXIGAKIS
1
, E.A. M
ARKAKIS
2
and E. V
LACHOGIANNAKIS
3
1
Laboratory of Plant Pathology, Plant Protection Institute of Iraklio, Hellenic
Agricultural Organization “Demeter”, Mesa Katsampas, GR-710 03 Iraklio, Crete,
Greece.
2
Laboratory of Plant Pathology, School of Agricultural Technology,
Technological Educational Institute of Crete, Stavromenos, GR-710 04 Iraklio, Crete,
Greece.
3
Biogenus E.P.E., 5 Anapafseos Str., GR-716 01 Nea Alikarnassos, Iraklio,
Crete, Greece
The ability of the plant extract “Renovation
Sekamosa” to control the soilborne patho-
gen
V. dahliae
in vitro
and
in planta
was eval-
uated. “Renovation Sekamosa” successful-
ly inhibited the growth of
V. dahliae
in vitro
with the EC
50
determined between 0,025-
0,05%. “Renovation Sekamosa” suppressed
significantly Verticillium wilt symptoms in
greenhouse experiments. The lower disease
symptoms associated with the use of “Reno-
vation Sekamosa” were associated with de-
creased fungal biomass in the xylem ves-
sels of the eggplants, whereas plant growth
promotion, as indicated by the higher to-
tal number of leaves and the final height of
plants, was also observed.
Suppressive effects of compost against Verticillium wilt of eggplant on
the basis of phenolic composition
E.A. M
ARKAKIS
1
, M.N. A
NDROULIDAKI
1
, M. F
OUNDOULAKIS
2
, G. D
ASKALAKIS
2
, E.K. L
IGOXIGAKIS
3
