Abstract
Effect of soil treatment with municipal biowaste charcoal (MBCha) on bacterial wilt of tomato was examined under growth chamber and field conditions. Disease incidence of tomato plants grown in Ralstonia solanacearum-infested soil was lower in the soil amended with MBCha than in the non-amended soil and the soil treated with wood charcoal. Disease suppression by the MBCha treatment was likewise observed in two other soils and pumice culture. Optimum effect on the disease suppression and tomato growth was observed when MBCha was applied at the rate of 20% (v/v). In addition, field tests for MBCha amendment confirmed the constant disease-suppressive effect for 3 months. These results suggested that MBCha may be useful for suppressing bacterial wilt of tomato. The suppression mechanism of MBCha was attributed to the presence of Ca-compounds as well as to physical, chemical and biological factors.
