Biocontrol of Fusarium and Verticillium Wilt of Tomato by Penicillium oxalicum under Greenhouse and Field Conditions

• Published in: Journal of phytopathology Vol. 151; no. 9; pp. 507 - 512
• Main Authors: Larena, I., Sabuquillo, P., Melgarejo, P., De Cal, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin, Germany Blackwell Verlag GmbH 01-09-2003; Blackwell
• Subjects: Biological agent; Biological and medical sciences; formulations; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Fungal plant pathogens; Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici; Penicillium oxalicum; Phytopathology. Animal pests. Plant and forest protection; Verticillium dahliae; Plant pathology; Fusarium oxysporum; Verticillium dahliae; Plant pathogen; Microbiology; Biological control; Biological agent; Penicillium oxalicum; Fungi; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Lycopersicon esculentum; formulations. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici; Spermatophyta; Fungi Imperfecti; Solanaceae; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0931-1785; 1439-0434
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1439-0434.2003.00762.x

Treatments with conidia of Penicillium oxalicum produced in a solid‐state fermentation system were applied at similar densities (6 × 106 spores/g seedbed substrate) to tomato seedbeds in water suspensions (T1: 5 days before sowing, or T2: 7 days before transplanting; 15 days after sowing), or in mixture with the production substrate (T3: 7 days before transplanting; 15 days after sowing). Treatments T2 and T3 significantly (P = 0.05) reduced fusarium wilt of tomato in both greenhouse (artificial inoculation) (33 and 28%, respectively) and field conditions (naturally infested soils) (51 and 72%, respectively), while treatment T1 was efficient only in greenhouse (52%). Verticillium wilt disease reduction was obtained with T3 in two field experiments (56 and 46%, respectively), while T1 and T2 reduced disease only in one field experiment (52% for both T1 and T2). Treatment with conidia of P. oxalicum plus fermentation substrate (T3) resulted in better establishment of a stable and effective population of P. oxalicum in seedbed soil and rhizosphere providing populations of approx. 107 CFU/g soil before transplanting. Results indicate that it will be necessary to apply P. oxalicum at a rate of approx. 106–107 CFU/g in seedbed substrate and rhizosphere before transplanting for effective control of fusarium and verticillium wilt of tomato, and that formulation of P. oxalicum has a substantial influence on its efficacy.