Vanilla (Vanilla planifolia Andrews) is one of spice plants, foreign exchange producer that is still enough to be potentially developed in Indonesia. One of major constraints in cultivation of vanilla is attack of foot rot disease (FRD) caused by fungi of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vanilae (Fov) that can attack all plant parts at the stage of plant growth (seedlings to producing plants). Transmission of this pathogen is especially through cuttings that are used as the source of plant materials. Vanilla cuttings used by farmers recently have risks to be infected by pathogen of FR 7-32%. This used cutting can as the source of inoculum for vanilla garden that is newly opened. Therefore, one of prevention methods of FR disease is using seedlings that are free from pathogen of FR (Fov).
To obtain seedlings those are free and immune to pathogen can be induced by certain microorganism. Fusarium oxysporum non pathogenic (FoNP) is one of microorganisms that has been reported to be able to induce plant resistance. Technology of immunization (induction of resistant) by using microorganism as inducer has been developed and used in the field in developed countries previously several years on various commercial plants such as tomato, potato, wheat, strawberry, etc.
In 1980iest, Komada a researcher of Japan, published his founding about the use of Fusarium oxysporum non pathogenic (FoNP) to induce the resistance of sweat potato plant to the disease of Fusarium rot. The result of the founding explained that the effectiveness of FoNP use is not significantly different by using Binomil that forms
mainstay fungicide for control that disease at that time. In Indonesia, the use of this microorganism has been developed on vanilla plant especially for the disease of foot rot for several years recently and has been applied to field stage, while the use on foot rot disease on black pepper plant is just early process in the stage of green house.
Results of Balittro experiment on vanilla plant, FoNP strain F10-M has been encountered that is isolated from healthy vanilla plant. Pre-inoculation of vanilla cuttings by using isolate conidia that could inhibit infection of FR pathogen on plant treated. Those organism have been produced in the form of formula, to make easy the implementation and has been patented in Directorate General of Intelectual Property Rights. Since 2001, this technology has been used widely in several provinces in Indonesia especially in Bali for control of FR disease. Distribution and application of this technology are conducted in the form of benefit with local private outsider that at this time has been in 12 provincies in Indonesia.
Immunization or induction of resistance or artificial resistance is a stimulation process of host plant resistance to plant pathogen without introduce new genes. Technology of immunization or cross protection forms one of control methods of plant disease by stimulating activity of resistance mechanism through inoculation of non-pathogenic microorganism or avirulent pathogen as weel as hypovirulent strain and treatment of substant form microorganism and botanical pesticide plants. Mechanism of resistance induction (immunization) causes condition of physiologis that regulated resistance system to be active of rtimulating mechanism of resistance that is possessed by plant. Immunization does not inhibit plant growth, even can increase production on several plants although without the existence of pathogen and gives a method to defense against environmental stress.
Preinoculation with inducer agents can activate various mechanism of plant resistance quickly, among others accumulation of phytoalexin, and the increase activity of several kinds of inducer enzyms such as β-1,4, glucosidase, chitinase and β-1-3-gluconase. Phytoalexin compound is substantion of antibiotic that is produced by host plant if there is infection of pathogen or wounding. Compound of phytoalexin apparently much more formed in the plant if using non-pathogenic microorganism compared with hypovirulent.
Signal of resistant inducer can in the form of its inducer agents or signal that is syhthesized by plant as a result of the existence of inducer agents. That signal is produced in a plant, however, can have a role on other parts. Signal transinduction can be transferred intracellulary so that causes system of plant resistance systemically. ( Dr. Mesak Tombe, Research Institute For Medicinal and Aromatic Crop Jl. Tentara Pelajar No. 3 Bogor, Indonesia, Cell number )
For more information, please contact Mr. Dr. Mesak Tombe by email at meori_agro@yahoo.co.id
