Grafting studies in tomato Solanum lycopersicum L for biotic stresses and nutrient use efficiency

Abstract

Present investigation entitled, Grafting studies in tomato (Solanum newlinelycopersicum L.) for biotic stresses and nutrient use efficiency was carried out at newlineCentral Horticultural Experiment Station (ICAR-IIHR), Bhubaneswar, Odisha, in newlinecollaboration with Department of Vegetable Science, OUAT, Bhubaneswar, during newlinekharif seasons of 2018 to rabi season 2020-21. The objectives were planned to identify newlinethe best rootstocks for bacterial wilt and root knot nematode resistance, aiming to newlineachieve better nutrient use efficiency and higher yield. A screening experiment was newlineconducted with thirteen root stocks consist of BRS-1, BRS-2, Utkal Keshari, S. torvum, newlineCARI-1, BRS-4, S. sisymbriifolium, S. gillo, S. aethiopicum, Utkal Anushree, Arka newlineNeelachal Shyama, BRS-3 grafted with Arka Raksha and sole Arka Rakshak as newlinetreatments following statistical design CRD with three replications in poly bags to find newlineout better root stock in terms of yield, root traits and nutrient uptake. It was observed newlinethat Solanum torvum recorded highest yield per plant (1.53 kg) and root length (90.60 newlinecm) and nutrient uptake viz., nitrogen (4.82g), phosphorus (0.76g) and potassium (4.54g) newlineamong all the treatments whereas, Utkal Anushree recorded highest yield per plant (1.37 newlinekg) and root length (54.23cm) among the brinjal root stocks.In a separate experiment, newlinescreening was conducted for bacterial wilt comprising of 13 root stocks in RBD with newlinethree replications. All the treatments were evaluated through artificial inoculation and newlineunder sick plot condition inside the net house. Bacterial wilt incidence per cent were newlinecalculated and it was observed that S. torvum (6.67%), CARI-1(8.33%) and Utkal newlineAnushree (8.33%) recorded least percentage of bacterial wilt incidence among all the newlinetreatments. During the root knot nematode screening experiment, it was observed that newlineout of 13 solanum rootstocks tested, S. torvum, S. sisymbriifolium, Utkal Anushree, newlineArka Neelachal Shyama exhibited resistance to the root knot nematode infection. Based newlineon results of nutrient screening,