ABSTRACT
In order to evaluate the performance of acibenzolar-S-metil, alone, mixed with fungicides and in spraying programs, for the control of tomato early blight, an experiment was carried out in a commercial crop in Bragança Paulista (Cv. Santa Clara), State of São Paulo, Brazil, from December/2003 to January/2004. The experimental design was randomized blocks with four replications, with 24 plants per plot. The applications were accomplished with a compression sprayer provided with constant pressure (4 bar), volume application from 600 to 1,000 L/ha in a total of 5 applicationa at 7-10 days intervals. The characteristics evaluated were: early blight severity in leaflets and stems; percentage of leaf drop; incidence of healthy, diseased and sun-damaged fruits and yield of commercial fruits. ASM presented positive effects on tomato early blight control, however it did not promote increase of the yield. ASM in mixture with the fungicides mancozeb, azoxystrobin and difenoconazole did not provide increase of disease control, fruits production and quality as compared to the use of the fungicides. Reduction of the disease severity in leaflets of tomato and increase of the yield was observed where only in spraying programs BTH + mancozeb use was alternated with difenoconazole and azoxystrobin.
KEY WORDS
Lycopersicon esculentum Mill;
Alternaria solani
; plant activator