Salts Application for Suppressing Potato Early Blight Disease

The suppressive effect of sodium and calcium salts applied individually or combined with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae against Alternaria solani the causal agent of early blight disease of potato was evaluated under laboratory, greenhouse and field conditions. In vitro test a complete inhibition in fungal growth was observed at concentration of 30 mg/ml of both sodium bicarbonate and calcium chloride. The commercial backing yeast S. cerevisiae (CBY) enhanced the inhibitory effect of tested salts reflected in increasing mycelial fungal growth reduction when combined at the rate of 1:1 at each concentration tested. In pot experiment, under artificial infestation with pathogenic fungus, application of sodium bicarbonate or calcium chloride significantly reduced the early blight incidence and severity by increasing their concentrations. Their most effective concentration were 30 mg/ml that reduced the disease incidence by 50 and 62.4%, respectively. Superior effect of sodium bicarbonate or calcium chloride in disease reduction was observed when they combined with CBY. Field trails for evaluating the most promising greenhouse treatments were preformed under natural infestations during two successive summer seasons. Calcium chloride proved higher efficacy for reducing both disease incidence and severity than that of sodium bicarbonate when applied either alone or combined with CBY. Also, it is observed that increasing concentrations of both sodium bicarbonate or calcium chloride showed parallel decrease in disease incidence and severity. Application of (CBY) enhanced the efficacy of salts spraying against early blight disease. Similar trend was also observed with the increase of potato tubers yield. On the light of the present study it could be suggested that the usage of combined application of the yeast S. cerevisiae with sodium bicarbonate or calcium chloride might be used as easily applied, safely and cost effective control methods against such plant diseases.