AGENT ASSOCIATED WITH EARLY BLIGHT Alternaria alternata (FR.) KEISSLER IN THE Solanum lycopersicum L. TOMATO CROP IN MEXICO

Abstract

Background. Tomato is an important crop in Mexico, due mainly to its economic profitability. Objective. The objective of the research was to identify the agent associated with early blight in tomato at Morelos. Methodology. Samples of diseased plants were taken from a greenhouse at Jantetelco country of the Morelos state and taken to the laboratory. Later, 1 cm cuts of diseased and healthy tissue were made which disinfected with 3% sodium hypochlorite for 1 min and washed three times with sterile distilled water for 1 min. Later, four leaf cuts in were put in Petri dishes with PDA culture medium (Bioxon) kept at 25 °C ± 2 °C for 168 h, the pathogen purification was done by monoconidial cultures and pathogen identifying by morphocultural criteria and molecularly. Results. The agent associated with early blight was Alternaria alternata. Implications. Our result reveals the opportunity to improve the control of this pathogen. Conclusion. Although A. alternata to infect the fruit peduncle causing abortion, in this research the pathogen was found also in leaves.