A sustainable management of corky root and root-knot nematodes by the biocontrol agent Aphanocladium album isolate MX-95

Abstract

A trial was carried out in a plastic house on tomato to assess the efficacy of the chitinolytic fungus Aphanocladium album isolate Mx-95 (AA Mx-95) against the soil borne pathogen Pyrenochaeta lycopersici and the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. Treatments were: a) AA Mx-95 applied in sub irrigation at 2.5 L/plot (1.2 x 107 CFU/mL, conidial suspension) in pre transplant (20 days), transplant and in post transplant (2 times every 20 days) + root dipping (5 min – conc. 1.2 x 107 CFU/mL) at transplant); b) as before indicated without treatment in pre transplant; c) root dipping and d) dazomet (chemical control) applied 30 days before transplant at 600 Kg/ha. Untreated plots served as control. A significant yield increase and a reduction of severity of corky root and nematode attacks were observed in AA Mx-95 and dazomet treated plots in comparison to control. High positive correlations were found between the symptoms caused on tomato roots by M. incognita and P. lycopersici.