TUBE GRAFTING REDUCES INCIDENCE AND SEVERITY OF BACTERIAL WILT IN TWO TOMATO CULTIVARS IN ABEOKUTA, NIGERIA

Bacterial wilt, Ralstonia solanacearum, causes severe loss of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) pro- duction in Nigeria. Tube grafting of two tomato cultivars (Beske and UC82-B) on bacterial wilt-resistant tomato landrace rootstock (Tomachiva) was conducted to reduce incidence of bacterial wilt and in- crease the yield in the two cultivars. The experiments were laid in Randomized Complete Block De- sign (RCBD). Percentage incidence and Percentage Severity Index (PSI) of grafted tomato were 0.00% each in the early planting season. Incidence (1.70%) and PSI (1.50%) of grafted tomato were observed in late planting season. Non-grafted tomato had higher significant values of 42.50% and 38.80% in incidence and percentage severity index in late planting season. Grafting on Tomachiva effectively reduced the incidence and severity of bacterial wilt in two cultivars of tomato in southwest Nigeria