Revista de Patología Vegetal y Microbiología

Abstracto

Spatial Distribution of Tomato Early Blight and Reaction of Some Tomato Varieties to the Disease in Southern Tigray, Ethiopia

Hailu Negesa*, Getachew Ayana

Early blight disease caused by Alternaria species is the most destructive fungal disease of tomato in Ethiopia and in southern Tigray in particular. However, the importance and distribution status of the disease has not been studied in this area. Besides, the reaction of released tomato varieties to the disease was not well documented in Ethiopia. Therefore, the present study was conducted to identify the distribution of early blight in southern Tigray and to evaluate the reaction of some released tomato varieties to the disease under glasshouse conditions. Results revealed that tomato early blight was prevalent up to 89.3% and significantly (p<0.01) varied in disease intensity among the districts and peasant associations of the study areas. Severity of the disease was higher in the Raya Azebo than in the Raya Alamata district with a mean of 42.1% and 25.6%, respectively. Similarly, under peasant association level Wergaba and Gerjele were highly severed relatively, with 50% and 44.4% mean values, respectively. On the other hand, Limhat and Selam Bekalsi peasant associations had the lowest disease severity with the mean of 11.4% and 12.3%, respectively. Tested tomato varieties have been shown significant differences in their reaction to the disease. Two of the tested varieties were shown a resistant reaction to the disease; whereas, four varieties have been indicated a moderately resistant to the disease. Overall, the study identified the importance of tomato early blight in southern Tigray and the existence of promising varieties to resist the risk of early blight disease. Meanwhile, Future works should focus on the evaluation of promising varieties and integration of management options.