Detection of Bacterial Speck Disease of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Through Biochemical Approaches and Evaluation of Its Biological Control Measure

Bacterial speck is a prominent disease of tomato, caused by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. The present investigation was carried out to isolate and characterize the bacterial disease as well as their biological control management by antibiotic and antimicrobial sensitivity assay. Creamy colored bacterial colonies were observed on yeast peptone glucose agar medium after streaking and incubation at 37°C for 16 hours. The isolated bacterium was identified as Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato on the basis of morphological, physiological and biochemical tests method. The isolated bacterium was gram negative, rod shaped and motile. It showed positive result to catalase, MacConkey agar, potassium hydroxide, methyl red, Simmon citrate test and negative result to Kovac oxidase, and urease test. Triple sugar iron agar and Kligler iron agar tests showed positive result in isolated bacteria. Gentamycin revealed the highest inhibition zone with 24.5±0.2 mm against isolated bacterial strain. Terminalia arjuna plant extract showed highest 11.2±0.2 mm zone of inhibition against the isolated bacteria. The present investigation could be helpful for further molecular detection of the isolated bacteria and their biological control technique.