PLANT CELL BIOTECHNOLOGY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY

The efficacy tests of 7 salts in vitro against 3 pathogens of strawberry plants Botrytis cinerea (BCV, BC and SC), Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Cg) and Pestalotia longisetula (PD) revealed their significant inhibition of mycelial growth, germination and sporulation. The growth of all tested pathogens markedly decreased in presence of higher concentrations of used salts. At 100mM, the performance of BCS was more apparent on mycelial growth and germination of BCV but less on that of Cg and PD. For PCa, its efficiency was greater on Cg (99.34%) whereas SiCa had actively inhibited PD growth (84.47%). For sporulation, a complete inhibition was obtained in PD, around 99% SC and Cg at 100 mM compared to 31.4% or 69.2% those of BC and BCV. Calcium chloride has shown a lower activity not exceeding 21.57% against the mycelial growth of PD, varying between 0% and 9% or 15.18% against that of B. cinerea isolates and Cg respectively. A moderate effect was observed in presence of calcium sulfate to supress the growth of PD (57.29%), Cg (59.41%) and SC (57.73%) compared to a lower inhibitory action on spore germination of the five isolates between 32.35% and 47.82%. Similarly, in vivo, after the third day from inoculation with B. cinerea and Cg isolates, the three salts perfectly had protected the strawberries from rots both in the green and in the red stage.