The Efficiency of sulfuric acid in suppressing the root rot of date palm offshoots (Phoenix dactylfera L.) caused by Fusarium oxysporum, (Schlech) Snyder &Hansen. enhanced growth, and photosynthesis pigments

Abstract

The activity of different concentrations of sulfuric acid against the soil-borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum as causative agents of root rot disease on offshoots of date palm(Phoenix dactylifera L.) in both culture medium and greenhouse experiment was evaluated. Sulfur plays an essential role in the defense of plants against biotic and abiotic stresses. The result of dual culture techniques were done using both control plates (F. oxysporum alone)  and plates with different concentrations of sulfuric acid and F. oxysporum show a reduction of the mycelial radial growth colony of the pathogenic fungus F. oxysporum in PDA medium supplemented with different concentrations of sulfuric acid (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 N) at about 75, 76.5, and 85%, respectively. The results of a greenhouse experiment reveal that the application of different concentrations of sulfuric acid (0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 N) to the soil pots inoculated with the inoculum fungus F. oxysporum reduced the disease severity by about 30.2, 26.26, and 12.5%, respectively, compared with F. oxysporum alone, which was 87%. It also increased the average of fresh and dry shoots and root systems and total chlorophyll and carotenoid content in comparison with the pathogen treatment alone.