Environmental Biotechnology

Electronic Journal of Biotechnology ISSN: 0717-3458 Vol. 8 No. 3, Issue of December 15, 2005
© 2005 by Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso -- Chile Received January 28, 2005 / Accepted June 8, 2005
DOI: 10.2225/vol8-issue3-fulltext-7
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Biocontrol of root and crown rot in tomatoes under greenhouse conditions using Trichoderma harzianum and Paenibacillus lentimorbus. Additional effect of solarization

Jaime R. Montealegre
Departamento de Sanidad Vegetal
Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas
Universidad de Chile
Santa Rosa 11315, Santiago, Chile
Tel: 56 2 6785714
Fax: 56 2 6785812
E-mail: jmonteal@uchile.cl

Rodrigo Herrera
Departamento de Sanidad Vegetal
Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas
Universidad de Chile
Santa Rosa 11315, Santiago, Chile
Tel: 56 2 6785714
Fax: 56 2 6785812
E-mail: rherrera@uchile.cl

Juan Carlos Velásquez
Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas
Facultad Ciencias de la Salud
Universidad Andrés Bello
República 217, Santiago, Chile
Tel: 56 2 6618338
Fax: 56 2 6618390
E-mail: jcvelasquez@unab.cl

Polyana Silva
Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas
Facultad Ciencias de la Salud
Universidad Andrés Bello
República 217, Santiago, Chile
Tel: 56 2 6618338
Fax: 56 2 6618390
E-mail: polyanasilva@yahoo.com

Ximena Besoaín
Facultad de Agronomía
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso
Calle San Francisco s/n, La Palma
Quillota, Chile
E-mail: xbesoain@ucv.cl

Luz María Pérez*
Laboratorio de Bioquímica
Facultad Ciencias de la Salud
Universidad Andrés Bello
Sazie 2325, Santiago, Chile
Tel: 56 2 6618411
Fax: 56 2 6618390
E-mail: lperez@unab.cl

*Corresponding author

Financial support: Fondecyt 1990785.

Keywords: Fusarium oxysporum, Lycopersicon esculentum, Pyrenochaeta lycopersici, Rhizoctonia solani, solarization.

Abbreviations: 
 

Th650: Trichoderma harzianum 650
Pl629: Paenebacillus lentimorbus 629
MeBr: methyl bromide

Abstract
Full Text

Trichoderma harzianum 650 (Th650) and Paenebacillus lentimorbus 629 (Pl629) selected earlier for their ability to control Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani and F. oxysporum in vitro, were applied alone or combined with solarization (summer assay)  and/or with methyl bromide (MeBr) (summer and winter assays) to a soil with a high inoculum level, for the control of tomato root rot caused by the complex F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici - Pyrenochaeta lycopersici - Rhizoctonia solani. Evaluations were also performed independently for root damage caused by P. lycopersici, and also for R. solani in the summer assay. MeBr decreased tomato root damage caused by the complex from 88.7% to 21.2% and from 78.4% to 35.7% in the summer and in the winter assay, respectively. None of the bio-controllers could replace MeBr in the winter assay, but Th650 and Pl629 reduced root damage caused by this complex in the summer assay. Treatments with bio-controllers were improved by their combination with solarization in this season. Independent evaluations showed that the positive control of Th650 towards R. solani and the lack of effect on P. lycopersici correlates well with the endochitinase pattern expressed by Th650 in response to these phytopathogens. Root damage caused by R. solani can be controlled at a similar level as it does MeBr in summer assays, thus representing an alternative to the use of this chemical fungicide for the control of this phytopathogen.

 
Supported by UNESCO / MIRCEN network