EVALUATIONS OF Trichoderma ISOLATES FOR BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF Fusarium WILT OF CHILI
NADEEM ANJUM *
Institute of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
AHMAD ALI SHAHID
Institute of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan [NA, SI, MKNR, YJ, MM]. Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
SEHRISH IFTIKHAR
S Institute of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
MUSTANSAR MUBEEN
Institute of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan. and State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan-430070, Hubei, P.R. China .
MUHAMMAD HUSNAIN AHMAD
The Key Laboratory of Horticultural Plant Biology, Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan- 430070, Hubei, P.R. China
YASHA JAMIL
Institute of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
MUHAMMAD KAMRAN NASRULLAH REHAN
Institute of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
AIMEN AZIZ
Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan
SHEHZAD IQBAL
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan- 430070, Hubei, P.R. China
AQLEEM ABBAS
State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology and Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Pathology of Hubei Province, College of Plant Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan- 430070, Hubei, P.R. China
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Trichoderma species T. atroviride, T. hamatum, T. harzianum, T. longibrachiatum, and T. viride were evaluated for in vitro antagonistic potential against Fusarium oxysporum f. spp. capsici using the dual culture technique. In vitro results revealed that T. hamatum was the most potent in reducing the mycelial growth of Fusarium oxysporum f. spp. capsici with 70.15% inhibition followed by T. atroviride, T. harzianum, T. longibrachiatum and T. viride with 67.18%, 68.75%, 69.46% and 66.75% inhibition, respectively. The antifungal potential of five Trichoderma species was further evaluated under In-vivo conditions by applying spore suspension (1×106 conidia/mL). T. longibrachiatum treatment showed the minimum disease severity of 24.7% under greenhouse conditions. T. longibrachiatum also promoted the length and weight of root and shoot. The other Trichoderma species showed moderated control of Fusarium wilt. Overall, T. hamatum and T. longibrachiatum were the most effective treatment for the control of Fusarium wilt under in- vitro and in-vivo conditions and generally, it depends on plant species tolerating disease.
Keywords: Biocontrol, Capsicum annuum, Fusarium oxysporum, Trichoderma spp.