Abstract:
Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) has emerged as one of the most serious threats
to tomato cultivation in Greece. In the present study the effects of Benzothiadiazoles
(BTH) and pyraclostrobin against mechanically or aphid-transmitted CMV in tomato
plants, of hybrid F1 Clodin, were investigated in greenhouse experiments. BTH was
confirmed as capable of inducing systemic acquired resistance (SAR) in tomato
seedlings against CMV, while pyraclostrobin was not.
Responses to BTH application and/or CMV inoculation on Spanish tomato
hybrid Delos (BTH, BTH+CMV, CMV treatments) were monitored during winter and
spring season in Greece. In both seasons the SAR derived from BTH application
suppressed CMV. BTH treatment presented increased plant growth, fruit size and
marketable tomato yield compared to CMV and BTH+CMV treatments, whereas
decreased compared to healthy control. CMV treatment caused the most severe
stunting of tomato plants among the examined treatments and resulted in yield loss of
marketable fruits, although the total fruit number was higher versus to other treatments. Cont/d.
