Occurrence of fungi pathogens associated with seedling blight diseases in Solanum lycopersicum cultivated in Bida Local Government Area, Niger State.

Abstract

Solanum lycopersicon seedlings showing seed decay, seedling wilting and seedling blight symptoms were randomly selected from three farms in Bida Local Government Area and was examined using baiting method for the presence of fungal pathogens inducing seedling blight and identified based on their morphological characteristics. Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizopus nigrican were found to be associated with seedling blight disease of Solanum lycopersicon. Pathogenicity test was carried out on the three weeks old seedlings. The pathogenicity test revealed that all the isolated fungi were pathogenic to the Solanum lycopersicon seedlings. Aspergillus niger and Fusarium oxysporum have the highest rate of occurrence which covered the whole plate at day5 of incubation. The results of this present investigation could be utilized in vegetable farms and tomato industries in Nigeria as well as farmers in other to prevent loss of yields to these pathogens