BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF DAMPING-OFF, ROOT- ROT / WILT DISEASES OF ALFALFA IN EGYPT

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Plant Pathology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Cairo, Egypt

2 Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Jokioinen, Finland

Abstract

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) is subject to stand injury and yield loss from several diseaes, such as damping-off, wilt and root-rot. Rhi­zoctonia solani and Fusarium oxysporum are the main pathogens of these diseases. There are great efforts to reduce environmental pollu­tion by reducing the usage of agrochemicals to control pests. Biological control of many diseases is used as a mean to increase forage produc­tion. Some bioagents [Trichodermaharzianum, T.viride, Bacillus subtilis and Mycostop (Streptomyces grisioviridis)] significantly inhibited my­celial growth of Rhizoctonia solani)) and Fusarium oxysporum in vitro . Trichoderma harzianum and T.viride overlapped with the pathogens and suppressed the growth by 53 and 48% for R.solani, and 66 and 60.6 for F.oxysporum. Also, 8.subitilis and Mycostop expressed inhibitory zone, and inhibited pothogen's by 36.1 and 59.4% for R.solani and 46.3 and 72.8% for F.oxysporum. Under greenhouse conditions, all tested biocon­trol agents significantly decreased damping-off and root-rot/wdt diseas­es in alfalfa. T.harzianum, Gliocladium virens and Mycostop were more ef­fective in controlling camping-off and root-rot/wilt diseases caused by R.solani and F.oxysporum in alfalfa.

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