Biochar Induced Chilies Cultivar Specific Defense Response Characterization Against Ralstonia solanaceraum

Abstract

Abstract Background and Aims Biochar are considered to have the potential for managing plant diseases by activating plant defense pathways along with their role in influencing the soil-plant-microbe interactions outcome. Therefore, in this study we assessed the soil biochar amendments against bacterial wilt of chilies (Ralstonia solanacearum). Chilies cultivar specific response towards biochar was characterized with reference to physiological and biochemical alterations of the plants.Methods In this study we used the biochar prepared from leaf waste (LWB) of Syzygium cumini. The biochar was applied as a soil amendment at varied concentrations (3 and 6%, each) along with compost (20%) and the plants either inoculated with Ralstonia solanacearum or remained un-inoculated.Results All chilli (Capsicum annumm L.) cultivars [(V1 (F1 Zenia), V2 (Desi Chilli) and V3 (F1 green queen)] showed a positive influence of biochar amendment on plant growth even under bacterial induced wilt stress. Although, the reduction in percentage disease index (PDI) and disease incidence (DI) was significant for all cultivars in biochar amended treatments but resistance plant response against wilt was only recorded in cultivar V3 with 6% biochar. The chilies response to biochar was not only dependent upon the concentration of biochar applied but also on the biochemical alterations of the cultivars used.Conclusion Different chilli cultivars have shown varied levels of defense response activation in response to soil biochar amendment. These findings will certainly add to our existing understanding of biochar induced plant resistance activation as well as cultivar specific chilies defense response against R. solanacearum.