Cladobotryum mycophilum as Potential Biocontrol Agent

Abstract

A study was conducted to explore the efficacy of potential biocontrol agent Cladobotryum mycophilum against different phytopathogenic fungi. The growth rates of 24 isolates of C. mycophilum were determined, and their antagonistic activity was analysed in vitro and in vivo against Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. cucumerinum, Fusarium solani, Phytophthora parasitica, Phytophthora capsici, Pythium aphanidermatum and Mycosphaerella melonis. Most isolates grow rapidly, reaching the opposite end of the Petri dish within 72–96 h. Under dual-culture assays, C. mycophilum showed antagonistic activity in vitro against all phytopathogenic fungi tested, with mycelial growth inhibition ranging from 30 to 90% against all the different phytopathogens tested. Similarly, of all the selected isolates, CL60A, CL17A and CL18A significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the disease incidence and severity in the plant assays compared to the controls for the different pathosystems studied. Based on these results, we conclude that C. mycophilum can be considered as a potential biological control agent in agriculture. This is the first study of Cladobotryum mycophilum as a biological control agent for different diseases caused by highly relevant phytopathogens in horticulture.

Polyphasic Systematics of the Fungicolous Genus Cladobotryum Based on Morphological, Molecular and Metabolomics Data

“…Finally, some Cladobotryum species are important mycopathogens of cultivated mushrooms, causing serious pathological conditions to basidiomes, called “cobweb disease”, thus having negative implications on fungiculture [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ]. On the other hand, this ecological feature opened new horizons for the exploitation of the genus Cladobotryum as a potential biocontrol agent against fungal phytopathogens [ 28 ]. The micromorphology of the anamorphic state is characterised by (sub)verticillately-branched conidiophores from which subulate conidiogenous cells emerge, producing mainly septate hyaline conidia in various manners, and usually by formation of non-dehiscent, thick-walled resting sclerotioid structures [ 29 ].…”

Phytophthora capsici: the diseases it causes and management strategies to produce healthier vegetable crops

“…is reduced. Currently, there is increasing research where the biological action of many strains of fungi and bacteria has been demonstrated against P. capsici (Das et al, 2019;Santos et al, 2019;Syed-Ab-Rahman et al, 2019;Abbasi et al, 2020;Bhusal & Mmbaga, 2020;Tomah et al, 2020). Sometimes, certain BCAs can be used in a compatible way with some oomiceticides, expanding the control spectrum (Widmer, 2019).…”

Genomic insights into the evolution and adaptation of secondary metabolite gene clusters in fungicolous species Cladobotryum mycophilum ATHUM6906

“…The genomic analyses of Cladobotryum species and in extent the genomes' contribution to the biotechnological importance of this genus are currently in need, since finding new environmentally friendly solutions for preventing mushroom cultivation damage is fundamental. Additionally, the potential of C. mycophilum as a biological control agent against fungal phytopathogens has been examined, and the initial outcomes appeared promising ( Santos et al . 2019 ).…”