Effectiveness of Boron Formulations against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato in Tomato Seeds

Abstract

Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato, the bacterial agent for tomato speck disease, can cause serious epidemics with high leaf moisture, mild temperatures, and cultural practices allowing bacterial dissemination among host plants. Boron is an essential micro-nutrient for plant growth and health in agricultural production. In this study, the effectiveness of 14 different Boron compounds at 5 different doses (1, 5, 10, 20 and 40 mM) against P. s. pv. tomato at a concentration of 108 CFU ml-1 in vitro was evaluated and the most successful 4 different Boron compounds (Ammonium tetrafluoroborate, Sodium tetrafluoroborate, Zinc borate and Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate) were coated with 5 mM doses infected cv. H2274 tomato seeds to determine bacterial populations and seed emergence rates in the seeds. Among the 14 different Boron compounds used in the experiments, Disodium octaborate tetrahydrate was the most successful active ingredient 92% ratio in inhibiting P. s. pv. tomato populations in tomato seeds, while 39% success was achieved with sodium tetrafluoroborate applications. According to the results of the research, it is thought that some Boron compounds can be an economical, effective and environmentally friendly chemical in reducing P. s. pv. tomato in tomato seeds within the scope of good agricultural practices.