Resumo

COSME-VELAZQUEZ, Yesenia et al. Effect of acibenzolar S-methyl on serrano pepper plants (Capsicum annuum) infected with Phytophthora capsici at different ages. Rev. mex. fitopatol [online]. 2015, vol.33, n.2, pp.156-172. ISSN 2007-8080.

Pepper wilt caused by Phytophthora capsici causes considerable yield losses. Multiple alternatives have been tested to control this disease. Systemic resistance and age related resistance are low impact alternatives that could contribute to the control of this plant health problem. In this work, transplanting age, with or without acibenzolar S-methyl (ASM), was tested as a possible strategy to reduce the effects of the disease in serrano pepper plants. One milligram of ASM/plant was sprayed weekly, starting a week before transplanting, to seedlings of age 45, 30, and 15 days after seeding. These treatments were tested in two Serrano cultivars (Camino Real and a creole from Tetela de Ocampo, Puebla) with or without inoculation with any of two P. capsicistrains. The ASM reduced de area under the disease progress curve but did not inhibit pathogen infection. ASM also reduced the growth level of plants from the three tested ages. Seedlings transplanted 45 days after seeding resulted more susceptible to the disease than younger ones.

Palavras-chave : nurseries; plant age; systemic resistance.