Biological control of Radopholus similis in banana by combined application of the mutualistic endophyte Fusarium oxysporum strain 162, the egg pathogen Paecilomyces lilacinus strain 251 and the antagonistic bacteria Bacillus firmus

Abstract

The biological control efficacy of single or multiple applications of the mutualistic endophyte Fusarium oxysporum strain 162, the egg pathogen Paecilomyces lilacinus strain 251 and the antagonistic bacteria Bacillus firmus toward Radopholus similis was investigated in pot trials with banana under glasshouse conditions. R. similis was controlled substantially in single and combined applications of F. oxysporum with P. lilacinus or B. firmus. The combination of F. oxysporum and P. lilacinus caused a 68.5% reduction in nematode density whereas the individual applications reduced the density by 27.8% and 54.8% over the controls, respectively. Combined application of F. oxysporum and B. firmus was the most effective treatment in controlling R. similis on banana (86.2%), followed by B. firmus alone (63.7%). The compatibility of the biocontrol agents, as well the capacity of F. oxysporum to colonize banana roots in the absence or presence of P. lilacinus was also investigated. P. lilacinus did not adversely affect endophytic colonization by F. oxysporum. Biological control of R. similis in banana can therefore be enhanced via combined applications of antagonists with different modes of action that target different stages in the infection process.

Occurrence and correlations of nematodes, Fusarium oxysporum and edaphic factors on banana plantations

“…Some studies have shown that the endophyte F. oxysporum has the ability to induce a systemic resistance in banana plants against R. similis , reducing the penetration and the population density of this nematode (Felde et al., ; Paparu, Dubois, Coyne, & Vijoen, ; Vu, Hauschild, & Sikora, ). Other studies evidenced that the endophyte may exert an antagonistic activity against R. similis , which makes it a promising biological control agent (Athman et al., ; Mendoza & Sikora, ). Thus, it is believed that some F. oxysporum isolates in this study might have reduced the burrowing nematode population density either by biological control effects or by inducing plant resistance to the nematode, which may explain the low frequencies and low population densities found in the studied areas (Table ).…”

“…Some studies have shown that the endophyte F. oxysporum has the ability to induce a systemic resistance in banana plants against R. similis, reducing the penetration and the population density of this nematode (Felde et al, 2006;Paparu, Dubois, Coyne, & Vijoen, 2007;Vu, Hauschild, & Sikora, 2006). Other studies evidenced that the endophyte may exert an antagonistic activity against R. similis, which makes it a promising biological control agent (Athman et al, 2006;Mendoza & Sikora, 2009 (Ritzinger & Fancelli, 2006). It is likely that the interaction between Pratylenchus sp.…”

Potential of endophytic fungi as biocontrol agents of Duponchelia fovealis (Zeller) (Lepidoptera:Crambidae)

“…Furthermore, Aspergillus spp., Penicillium spp., and Chaetomium sp. are used in the industry for the production of secondary metabolites that exhibit antimicrobial and antifungal properties (Hanada et al, 2010;Li et al, 2011;Wang et al, 2012;Jouda et al, 2014).…”

Induction of metabolite organic compounds by mutualistic endophytic fungi to reduce the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) infection on tomato

“…strain Bonn-7 was isolated from cortical tissue of surface sterilized radish roots in Bonn, Germany (Xiaonin Yan, 2009, personal communication). These endorhiza colonizers were previously shown to have biocontrol activity against plantparasitic nematodes (Hallmann and Sikora 1994a, b;Pocasangre et al 2006;Dababat and Sikora 2007a, b, and c;Vu et al 2006;Mendoza and Sikora 2008).…”