Phytotoxicity caused by secondary metabolites of botanical extracts is a drawback in agriculture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the phytotoxic effects of methanolic extracts of Crotalaria longirostrata and Argemone mexicana on the germination and physiological variables of tomato seedlings. The results indicated that high doses of both extracts (Clong500 and Amex500) inhibited tomato seed germination, while their mixture (Cl50 + Am50) promoted germination by 100%. At 30 days after transplanting (dat), the plant height increased by 15.4% with a high dose of C. longirostrata (Clong500) compared to the control. At 30 dat, the vigor index displayed a notable increase with Cl50 + Am50, reaching 29.5%. The root length increased with the mean dose of A. mexicana (Amex95) at 10, 20, and 30 dat (59.7%, 15.1%, and 22.4%, respectively). The chlorophyll content increased with Amex95 by 66.1% in 10 dat, 22.6% at 20 dat, and 19.6% at 30 dat. On the other hand, Amex95 had a higher nitrogen content throughout the trial. Amex95 produced the greatest increase in root dry weight by 731.5% and 209.4% at 10 and 20 dat. The foliage dry weight increased by 85.7% at 10 dat with Amex95 and up to 209.7% with Amex50 at 30 dat. The present investigation reveals the ability of the extracts to stimulate tomato growth at low and medium doses, though at high doses they exhibit allelopathic effects.
Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV), being a mechanically transmitted disease, is usually difficult to control; therefore, an effective alternative to reduce transmission and replication in the crop is by spraying with chlorine dioxide (ClO2) during routine crop management. In this research, the efficacy of chlorine dioxide (ClO2) for ToBRFV management in a greenhouse and open field was determined. The phytotoxicity of ClO2 and its effective concentration against ToBRFV in Nicotiana longiflora plants were evaluated. Subsequently, the effect of ClO2 on ToBRFV was evaluated in tomato plants grown in an open field. Finally, the effectiveness of ClO2 on plants inoculated with ToBRFV under greenhouse conditions was evaluated and the number of necrotic local lesions (NLLs) was quantified. The results revealed that ClO2 at 760 mg L−1 did not show phytotoxicity and reduced the number of NLLs in N. longiflora plants. It also decreased ToBRFV transmission and replication in field- and greenhouse-grown tomato plants, improving agronomic parameters. ClO2 reduced replication in plants inoculated with different amounts of ToBRFV inoculum in a greenhouse. N. longiflora leaves expressed lower numbers of NLLs when inoculated with ClO2-treated tomato plant extracts. Finally, the results demonstrate that ClO2 represents an effective management alternative when used by direct application to plants. To our knowledge, this is the first study where the use of an antiviral compound is carried out under field and greenhouse conditions.