Trichoderma species have been identified as potential biocontrol agents of many plant pathogenic fungi, including Botrytis cinerea Pers., one of the major pathogens in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production in the Republic of Macedonia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antagonistic activity of Trichoderma asperellum and T. harzianum against 18 genetically diverse B. cinerea isolates. The results showed considerable antagonistic abilities of both Trichoderma species against all tested B. cinerea isolates. Both antagonists significantly (p < 0.01) inhibited the mycelial growth (T. asperellum from 74.246% to 96.915% and T. harzianum from 71.072% to 95.889%) and conidial germination (T. asperellum from 76.932% to 95.107% and T. harzianum from 76.933% to 93.658%) of B. cinerea isolates. The antagonistic abilities were not related to the genetic group, but apparent association with the region of origin of the pathogen isolates was observed. Trichoderma asperellum and T. harzianum are promising biocontrol agents for control of gray mold disease in tomato.

One hundred and twenty-three isolates of Botrytis cinerea were collected from 7 different areas in the Republic of Macedonia, where tomato is mostly grown in greenhouses and high tunnels. Based on the mycelial formation, intensity of sporulation and sclerotial production, 9 different phenotypes were detected: 4 mycelial and 5 sclerotial. One sclerotial morphological type has not been previously reported. The presence or absence of two transposable elements, boty and flipper, was detected by PCR. Out of 123 isolates, 20 had two transposable elements, boty and flipper (transposa genotype), 48 had neither of these elements (vacuma genotype) and 55 had only the flipper element (flipper genotype). Isolates that contain only boty element were not detected. No relationship between the phenotypes, origin of isolates and the presence/absence of transposable elements, boty and flipper, was found

The primary objective of this study was to identify the influence of irrigation and fertilization regime on some phenological stages and earliness of pruned pepper grown in plastic house. We applied four experimental treatments in this study. Three of the treatments were irrigated with drip irrigation and drip fertigation (KK1, KK2, KK3), while the last one was irrigated with furrow irrigation and conventional application of fertilizer (Ø B). From the results obtained during the three years of investigation, we can conclude that treatments with drip fertigation frequency of every 2 and 4 days (KK1 and KK2) and drip fertigation scheduled by tensiometers (KK3) shows from 4 to 10 days earlier initial technological maturity in comparison with Ø B. Results indicate that drip fertigation is an effective practice to achieve earlier yield. Namely, the drip fertigation treatments show from 19.34 to 38.89% higher earliness index compared with Ø B. Similar results were obtained for marketable yield, e.g. the lowest yield was obtained in treatment Ø B , while the highest one in treatment KK1.

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Alfalfa mosaic virus (AMV) is one of the most distributed and economically important plant viruses in pepper in R. Macedonia. Serological detection of AMV in eight important pepper production regions in R. Macedonia and molecular identification of a representative isolate were performed. The virus detection of AMV was conducted using DAS-ELISA method. In order to make molecular detection, RT-PCR was performed. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted, based on the partial sequences of the coat protein gene. A genetic relationship of the Macedonian isolate KUA7-2013 gained in this study was compared with 29 AMV isolates from other parts of the world. High level of nucleotide (92-94.4%) and amino acid identities (91.9-97.1%) were determined. In the constructed phylogenetic tree, the Macedonian AMV isolate was clustered in group II together with isolates from France and Great Britain. In this study, for the first time in R. Macedonia, an isolate of AMV was identified at the molecular level.