PREVALENCE OF EARLY BLIGHT OF TOMATO (ALTERNARIA SOLANI) IN IRRIGATED NORTHWESTERN PLAIN OF RAJASTHAN, INDIA

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum Linnaeus) is an important vegetable crop belonging to the family Solanaceae. The early blight of tomato caused by A. solani is the major constraint for the production and productivity of tomato. To find out the status of early blight, a roving survey was conducted to record early blight disease intensity during two Rabi seasons (2022-23 and 2023-24), covering 150 tomato growing fields of 30 villages in Sriganganagar and Hanumangarh region under Zone IB (irrigated northwestern plain) of Rajasthan, India. Alternaria blight disease appeared in all the surveyed areas of the regions. In Sriganganagar, the early blight intensity ranged from 18.09 to 39.36 per cent with an average of 29.96 per cent during 2022-23. During 2023- 24, the average per cent disease intensity was 35.94, with a range from 19.01 to 41.01 percent. In Hanumangarh district, the early blight intensity was less compared to Sriganganagar, ranging from 17.01 to 33.34 and 18.14 to 39.13 percent with an average of 25.24 and 28.34 percent during 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively. The maximum disease intensity was observed at village Kararwala, in Sadulsahar tehsil of Sriganganagar (39.36 & 41.01%) during 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively. Whereas, in Hanumangarh district village Likhamisar of Sangria tehsil recorded maximum disease intensity (33.34 & 39.13%) during both the years. Overall, our study provides evidence on the status of early blight severity with cultivars adopted by the farmers, which is helpful in the selection of resistant cultivars and developing stable disease management strategies.