Research Article · FIAR-2026-0207
Rhizospheric Fungi And Silver Nanoparticles For Management Of Tomato Vascular Wilt In Prayagraj
1Department of Botany, NGBU, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India
Corresponding author: tripathishaktinath@gmail.com
Shakti Nath Tripathi ORCID: 0000-0002-7077-8120
Abstract
Tomato wilt limits crop growth and productivity, highlighting the need for effective disease management approaches. This study evaluated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and a rhizospheric fungal antagonist, individually and in combination, against a wilt-associated fungus under laboratory and pot conditions. Field observations were conducted at Nawawa Urf Nimikla Uperhar, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, where disease incidence was 31.60%. Symptomatic plants exhibited yellowing, drooping, stunting, wilting and vascular browning. Fungal material was isolated from symptomatic tissues, while rhizospheric fungi were recovered and screened using dual culture. AgNP antifungal activity was assessed at concentrations of 50, 75, 100, 125 and 150 µg/mL. The pot experiment compared an infected untreated control, fungicide, antagonist alone, AgNPs alone and their combined application. AgNPs exhibited concentration-dependent inhibition, increasing from 31.4% at 50 µg/mL to 90.2% at 150 µg/mL. The combined treatment recorded the lowest disease severity index, 11.30 ± 0.85%, compared with 73.00 ± 3.24% in the infected control, representing 84.52% disease reduction. Corresponding area under the disease progress curve values were 148.55 ± 4.49 and 785.40 ± 10.25. The combined treatment recorded plant height of 41.95 ± 1.75 cm, fresh biomass of 33.51 ± 2.10 g/plant and dry biomass of 8.35 ± 0.20 g/plant. Fruit number reached 15.15 ± 0.23 per plant, and yield increased to 105.25 ± 3.98 g/plant, exceeding the control by 208.65%. These descriptive findings support further evaluation of the combined treatment. Future studies should optimize treatment doses and evaluate antagonist compatibility, field efficacy and environmental safety across different tomato-growing conditions.
Keywords
tomato; vascular wilt; Fusarium; Trichoderma; silver nanoparticles; biological control
How to cite this article
Yadav, A., & Tripathi, S. N. (2026). Rhizospheric Fungi And Silver Nanoparticles For Management Of Tomato Vascular Wilt In Prayagraj. Frontiers of Integrated Academic Research, 1(2), 49–56. https://fiarjournal.in/article/fiar-2026-0207