Biocontrol of melon wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum Schlect f. sp. melonis using seed treatment with Trichoderma spp. and liquid compost

• Published in: Biological control 2016-06, Vol.97, p.13-20
• Main Authors: Gava, Carlos Alberto Tuão, Pinto, José Maria
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological control; composts; Cucumis melo; disease incidence; Fertigation; fruit growing; fruit yield; fruits; Fusarium oxysporum; Fusarium wilt; growers; lethal concentration 50; Melonis; melons; organic matter; seed treatment; soil; synergism; Trichoderma harzianum; Trichoderma koningii; Trichoderma polysporum; Trichoderma viride
• ISSN: 1049-9644; 1090-2112
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocontrol.2016.02.010

[Display omitted] •T. polysporum controlled efficiently melon wilt in a naturally infested crop field.•T. polysporum and fertigation with liquid compost had a synergist effect on control.•Synergism between T. polysporum and liquid compost doubled fruit production. The control of melon wilt caused Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis (Fom) has become a complex problem for melon (Cucumis melo L.) growers worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the ability of Trichoderma spp. to control melon wilt under field conditions, and the application of liquid compost as a food-based strategy to improve the biocontrol efficiency of the selected strain. In a first experiment, we evaluated the use of Trichoderma harzianum LCB47, Trichoderma viride LCB48, Trichoderma koningii LCB49, and Trichoderma polysporum LCB50 to control melon wilt in a naturally infested soil. The treatment with T. polysporum LCB50 (Tp) showed the highest efficiency to control melon wilt (44.85%), increasing the fruit yield in 43%. In the second experiment, Tp was applied as seed treatment, and repeated once at 15days after transplanting. Two doses of liquid compost: 25 (LC25) and 50mLpL−1 (LC50), were applied by fertigation on a weekly basis along the crop development. In this experiment, T. polysporum LCB50 applied alone resulted in a significant (P