Isolation, pathogenicity and suitability of different culture media on growth and sporulation of Alternaria solani (ELL. & MART.) Inciting early blight disease of tomato

Early blight is the most common and destructive disease of tomato plants caused by the fungus Alternaria solani. Six culture media were used in this study, namely PDA, Glucose Peptone Yeast Agar, Malt Extract Agar, Tomato Leaf Extract, Oatmeal Agar and Dox Czapek agar extract and evaluated the suitability of the culture medium for fungal growth. It has been noted that PDA and Tomato Leaf Extract Agar promotes pathogen development through the formation of radial growth of 9.0 cm and mainly 8.5 cm within 10 DAI. Oatmeal agar also appeared to be the best medium after PDA and Tomato Leaf Extract Agar followed by Czapek's Dox Agar. The least supported medium was glucose peptone agar with radial growth of fungi of only 4.00 cm. The colony ranged in color from white, cream and olive green to black. When sporulated, oat agar and potato dextrose agar showed excellent sporulation. While on Tomato Leaf Extract Agar and Czapek Dox Agar it was bad.