Enhancer Effect of Boron on Biological and Chemical Control of Gray Mold Disease in Tomato Greenhouses

Gray mold disease caused by Botyritis cinerea is a pathogen of which control is possible by frequently spraying of chemicals in tomato greenhouses. In the present study, the inhibitory effect of boron by three different doses (0, 30, 60, 90 ppm) was tested to determine the chemical and biological control of Gray Mold disease on tomato. Each boron dose was tested with iminoctadine (450 ppm), fenhexamide (1 ppm) and cyprodinil (%37).+ fludioxonil (%25) (600 ppm) in vitro conditions in order to determine the effect of boron-fungicide combination on mycelium growth of the pathogen. Furthermore, the effect of three different boron doses (30, 60 ve 90 ppm) alone was also tested to evaluate the effect on B. cinerea growth and a siginificantly inhibition by 36.47%, resulted from 90 ppm application, on mycelium growth was determined, compared to control. An ascending inhibitory effect resulted from Bacillus subtilis Y 1336 in medium containing boron by 90 ppm to pathogen was also observed. The doses decreased up to 25% of Fenhexamide and Cyprodinil (%37).+ Fludioxonil (%25) by combination with 90 ppm boron resulted in statistically significant less infection ratio in naturally infected greenhouses than control plots where the fungicides were sprayed alone. Moreover, combination of B. subtilis Y 1336 and 90 ppm of boron resulted in significantly lower infection ratio than that of control plots where the biological control agent were applied alone in greenhouses where the infection was not also observed.