STUDIES ON PATHOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL ASPECTS IN EARLY BLIGHT OF TOMATO FROM MARATHWADA REGION

Abstract

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is an important commercial newlinevegetable crop grown widely throughout the world including tropical, subtropical newlineand temperate regions. India is second largest producer of tomato next newlineto china. In a big group of vegetable belongs to solanacious crops tomato newlineoccupy a distinct position for their spectacularly, high productivity and newlinecommercial value obtained in the market. newlineAs a processing crop, tomato ranks first among vegetables. The newlineproduction of this crop has tremendously increased due to its multifarious uses newlinein raw, cooked and processed forms as soups, sauces, ketchups, preserves and newlinepickles (Tiwari and Choudhary, 1986). Tomato is known for its outstanding newlinenutritive values. It is a major source of vitamins A, B and excellent source of newlinevitamin C. It is also a good source of minerals like Ca, Fe, Mg, K, and Zn. It is newlinealso known for its medicinal values. The pulp and juice is promoter of gastric newlinesecretion and blood purifier and considered to be intestinal antiseptic. newlineTomato though it is a warm-season vegetable crop grown extensively in newlinecool season also the optimum temperature required for its cultivation is 15°to newline27°C and grown in varied types of soil like sandy loam to clay loam and black newlinesoil to red soil having proper drainage. The association of phytopathogenic newlinemicro-organisms with this crop is perhaps as old as civilization. Among these newlineorganisms, fungi hold a significant place and are important as the pathogens. newlineThese fungal pathogens incite various types of diseases on their host crops and newlinecause heavy economic losses annually throughout the world. It was also noticed newlinethat the tomato cultivation received a setback due to various disease of common newlineoccurrence such as bacterial wilt, leaf curl and early blight disease and root knot newlinenematode fungal complex. newlineAmong the fungal diseases early blight disease caused by Alternaria newlinesolani is one of the most destructive disease. It is becoming more severe in newlinetomato growing tracts of India and also in Maharashtra. The present study newlineinclude