Tomato Seeds Bioprimed with Bioagents to Control Seed-Borne Pathogens

Laboratory experiment was carried out to study the effect of biopriming with bioagents on the control of seed borne pathogens in tomato. Tomato seeds cv. PKM 1 were bioprimed with different bio-agents viz., Bacillus subtilis 1 at 6% concentration for 9 hours, Methylobacterium extorquens AM 1 at 4% concentration for 9 hours, Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf 1 at 8% concentration for 9 hours and hydropriming with water for 9 hours along with nonprimed seeds. Sterilized seeds bioprimed with Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf 1at 8% concentration for 9 hours expressed less pathogen infection of Aspergillus flavus (0.2%), Aspergillus niger (0.2%), Fusarium sp. (2.5%) and Non- sporulating fungi (0.2%) than nonprimed seeds when tested in blotter paper method. In agar plate method also, the infection of Aspergillus flavus (0.2%), Aspergillus niger (0.4%), Fusarium.sp (0.2%) and Nonsporulating fungi (2.5%) were significantly minimum in sterilized seeds treated with Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf 1 at 8% concentration for 9 hours when compared to nonprimed seeds.