Antibiosis In vitro of Trichoderma Strains Metabolic Extract on Mycelial Growth and Reproductive Capacity of Fusarium oxysporum Isolated from Pepper Plants (Capsicum annuum L.)

Aims: To inhibit the mycelia growth inhibition and reproductive capacity of important phyto-pathogen fungus: Fusarium oxysporum by cell-extracts from submerged cultures of Trichoderma.

Study Design: A complete randomized experimental design with factorial fix was used.

Place and Duration of Study: Laboratory of plant-pathology, Department of Agricultural Parasitology, Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro (UAAAN), Mexico, between August 2012 and March 2012.

Methodology: Metabolic extract of Trichoderma asperellum produced in liquid medium and Trichoderma dual cultures on F. oxysporum isolated infected plant pepper was evaluated; both strains were subsequently activated in PDA and tested in dual culture and poisoned culture with Trichoderma strains and metabolic extracts against F. oxysporum to determine their growth inhibition potential.

Results: Strains Trichoderma were able to inhibit the growth of the plant pathogen, demonstrating to be an attractive alternative for biological control assays. Similar results were obtained with metabolic extracts, where the inhibition was affected up to 29%, the conidiogenesis by 30% and spore viability by 60% at the highest concentration tested.

Conclusions: Metabolites produced have the power to reduce the reproductive capacity of F. oxysporum, decreasing sporulation and inhibit the germination of conidia, and this is extremely important, as reducing the quantity and viability of conidia, it is reducing the secondary inoculum of the pathogen.