Articles
Effect of biocontrol agents and biostimulants for managing Fusarium wilt of tomato under greenhouse conditions
Article number
1427_6
Pages
41 – 48
Language
English
Abstract
The scientific community has made considerable efforts to explore sustainable alternatives to synthetic fungicides and fumigants against soil-borne pathogens.
Fusarium wilt of tomato, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL), continues to cause significant crop losses worldwide.
Encouraging results have been achieved using resistant tomato cultivars to FOL, biocontrol agents (BCAs) and biostimulants of natural origin.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of different combinations of BCAs and biostimulants against FOL under controlled conditions in greenhouse.
Four trials were carried out on tomato (‘Cuor di Bue’) grown into 12 L pots (6 plants pot-1) and five replicates.
The experimental treatments included different combinations of antagonistic microorganisms (F. oxysporum MSA35 and Trichoderma asperellum FC80 used at 1×107 conidia mL-1), obtained from suppressive soils, a microbial biostimulant containing mycorrhiza (AMF, 0.5 g L-1), a microbial biostimulant based on Paenibacillus polymyxa and a non-microbial biostimulant of natural origin (GH, 0.1%). Treatments were applied on 15 day-old seedlings in the nursery and 15 days later, directly to the infested peat soil (1 g L-1 of fungal biomass), immediately before transplanting.
All treatments were compared to azoxystrobin and to a commercially available product based on Trichoderma gamsii + T. asperellum. Plants were monitored for symptoms development and disease severity (DS). Under severe disease pressure in the untreated control (DS from 41 to 61), best results were provided by MSA35+FC80 (45-87% efficacy) and MSA35+GH (64-83% efficacy), while biostimulants alone showed variable efficacy.
Considering the results obtained, further research is needed to optimize the type and timing of application of BCAs and biostimulants in view of their inclusion in integrated pest management strategies.
Fusarium wilt of tomato, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL), continues to cause significant crop losses worldwide.
Encouraging results have been achieved using resistant tomato cultivars to FOL, biocontrol agents (BCAs) and biostimulants of natural origin.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of different combinations of BCAs and biostimulants against FOL under controlled conditions in greenhouse.
Four trials were carried out on tomato (‘Cuor di Bue’) grown into 12 L pots (6 plants pot-1) and five replicates.
The experimental treatments included different combinations of antagonistic microorganisms (F. oxysporum MSA35 and Trichoderma asperellum FC80 used at 1×107 conidia mL-1), obtained from suppressive soils, a microbial biostimulant containing mycorrhiza (AMF, 0.5 g L-1), a microbial biostimulant based on Paenibacillus polymyxa and a non-microbial biostimulant of natural origin (GH, 0.1%). Treatments were applied on 15 day-old seedlings in the nursery and 15 days later, directly to the infested peat soil (1 g L-1 of fungal biomass), immediately before transplanting.
All treatments were compared to azoxystrobin and to a commercially available product based on Trichoderma gamsii + T. asperellum. Plants were monitored for symptoms development and disease severity (DS). Under severe disease pressure in the untreated control (DS from 41 to 61), best results were provided by MSA35+FC80 (45-87% efficacy) and MSA35+GH (64-83% efficacy), while biostimulants alone showed variable efficacy.
Considering the results obtained, further research is needed to optimize the type and timing of application of BCAs and biostimulants in view of their inclusion in integrated pest management strategies.
Publication
Authors
P. Valfrè, G. Gilardi, I. Lundborg, A. Garibaldi, M.L. Gullino, M. Pugliese
Keywords
biological control, soil-borne pathogens, antagonistic microorganisms, organic farming
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