Effect of the use of Potassium Fertilizer on the Resistance and Growth of Tomato to Bacterial Wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum

Abstract

The research aims to study the effect of sources and doses of potassium fertilizer on the resistance and growth of tomato to bacterial wilt caused by Ralstoniasolanacearum. We conduct experiment in a screen house in Faculty of Agriculture, Islamic University Malang. The research is conducted experimentally using completely randomized block design (RAK) arranged in factorial with three repetition. There are six combinations of treatment. Factor I: source of potassium fertilizer, consists of two levels: KCl and K2SO4. Factor II:dose of K2O, consists of three levels: 50 kg ha-1 , 100 kg ha-1 and 200 kg ha-1 . The inoculation of Ralstonia solanacearum is conducted a week after transplanting. There is significant effect on the use of different sources and doses of potassium fertilizer. As whole, the use of potassium fertilizer originated from K2SO4 is better than that of KCl and the magnitude of the increase depends on dose applied. The best result indicates by treatment of the use of K2SO4 with dose of 200 kg ha-1 K2O that able to extend the incubation period of 6,27 days, decrease the attack level of 73,15%, increase the uptake of potassium and leaf chlorophyll of 4,58% and 7,17%, respectively,and increase root lignin of 3%, whereas total phenol is decreased of 27,27% compare to the use of KCl in the same dose.