After the pathogen was cultured in a liquid Armstrong Fusarium medium to stimulate sporulation for 6 days, a spore suspension was obtained. The cultured liquid medium was filtered with a four-layer gauze and the spores were filtered off. The concentration (106 spores/ml) was determined using a hemocytometer. After 2 weeks, plants with six to seven leaves in a bigger seedling tray were inoculated with the spore suspension of the pathogen using a root-stabbing method ( Dhingra and Sinclair, 1995, p. 158). The control plants were similarly inoculated with sterile distilled water.