During the recent years, biochar induced plant protection
has been demonstrated against several foliar and
soil-borne phytopathogenic bacteria and fungi (Graber
et al. 2014; Jaiswal et al. 2015). The plant growth
response of tomato plants inoculated with Fol
microconidia has been studied well (Akhter et al.
2015). However, as chlamydospores are the main source
of inoculum, their effect on root exudation and subsequent
disease suppression phenomena is of great interest
to the growers as well as to phytopathologists. In our
study, we have shown the capability of biochar and
compost in the plant growth medium to reduce the
infectivity potential of wilt-inducing chlamydospores.
Generally, the disease causing potential of chlamydospores
of Fol is ranked higher than microconidia (De-
Cal et al. 1997). Silva-Muniz et al. (1991) observed a
greater infectivity of F. oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli chlamydospores
than microconidia either because of the
increased ability of germ tubes to penetrate roots or
due to the release of a higher amount of toxins harmful
to the plants