Relationship between the biocontrol fungus Trichoderma harzianum and the phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium solani f.sp. pisi

• Published in: Applied soil ecology : a section of Agriculture, ecosystems & environment ecosystems & environment, 2013-06, Vol.68, p.57-60
• Main Authors: Kim, Tae Gwan, Knudsen, Guy R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Biological control; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; Competition; conidia; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fusarium solani; Hypocrea lixii; Microbial ecology; peas; pellets; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; plant pathogenic fungi; roots; seeds; soil; Soil science; Trichoderma
• ISSN: 0929-1393; 1873-0272
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2013.03.009

•Relationship between Trichoderma harzianum and Fusarium solani was identified.•Dual culture assay indicated that their growth was inhibited by each other.•T. harzianum declined the population and root colonization of F. solani in soil.•F. solani also reduced the population of T. harzianum and indigenous Trichoderma.•The relationship between them was determined as a competitive growth inhibition. Relationship between the biocontrol fungus Trichoderma harzianum ThzID1-M3 and the plant pathogen Fusarium solani f.sp. pisi (Fsp) was determined in this study. Dual culture assay indicated the competitive interaction between ThzID1-M3 and Fsp. Alginate pellets of ThzID1-M3 and Fsp conidia were added to non-sterile soil with pea seeds. The interaction between Trichoderma and Fsp adversely affected their establishment in soil. The addition of ThzID1-M3 significantly reduced the Fsp population, as well as the colonization of roots by Fsp. In contrast, the added Fsp significantly reduced the proliferation of ThzID1-M3 and Trichoderma spp. The results suggest that the competition may be the main mechanism of the antagonistic activity of Trichoderma against Fsp.