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ABSTRACTThe aim of the study was to investigate the effect of soil amendment in managing Fusarium wilt disease of tomato, without compromising growth. Organic manures from cow dung, rice husk, saw dust and poultry droppings were used to amend experimental soils, which consisted of five treatment levels: 100 % soil – 0 % manure; 75 % soil – 25 % manure; 50 % soil – 50 % manure; 25 % soil – 75 % manure and 0 % soil – 100 % manure. Tomato seeds were grown on the various treatments of the amended soils. Plant height measurement and number of leaves were recorded at five-day interval for three months. Fusarium oxysporum was isolated from agricultural soil, cultured on potato dextrose agar for two weeks and used to prepare spore suspension. Tomato seedlings at three leaf stage were infected with the spore suspension. Plant height and symptom scores were recorded at 5 and 10 days post inoculation. The results obtained showed that the highest number of leaves and plant height of tomato seedlings were observed in the treatments of 25 % inclusion level of cow dung and poultry droppings. In the infection experiment, the lowest amount of symptom was recorded for the infected seedlings grown on cow dung-amended soil. The findings from this study suggest that the amendment of soil with poultry droppings at 25 % inclusion level could reduce Fusarium wilt disease severity in tomato, without compromising growth.
