Efficacy of Saccharothrix algeriensis NRRL B-24137 to suppress Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum induced wilt disease in cotton

Abstract

Fusarium cotton wilt is a devastating disease of the cotton crop throughout the world, caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum (FOV). Chemical control has many side effects, so, biological controls have been widely used for the management of Fusarium wilt. This study aimed to investigate the possible use of an actinomycetes Saccharothrix algeriensis (SA) NRRL B-24137 to control FOV. To access in-vitro anti-Fusarium ability of SA NRRL B-24137, dual culture assay, spore germination and seed germination tests were carried out. Following in-vitro investigations, several pot tests in a greenhouse environment were used to evaluate the biological control potential of SA NRRL B-24137 against FOV. Dual culture assay and spore germination revealed that SA NRRL B-24137 showed significant anti-Fusarium activity.During spore germination 87.77% inhibition of spore germination were observed. In pot experiments, SA NRRL B-24137 primed cotton seeds resulted in a 74.0% reduction in disease incidence. In soil there was a significant reduction in FOV spores in the presence of SA NRRL B-24137. Positive correlation was also observed on different concentrations of SA NRRL B-24137 towards FOV reduction. The results of this study showed that SA NRRL B-24137 has the potential to be employed as a biocontrol agent against Fusarium cotton wilt, improving cotton growth characteristics and yield.

Recent studies on Fusarium wilt in cotton

“…Subsequently, the potential of the actinomycete SA as a biological control against FOV was explored. Their research included in vitro tests and greenhouse pot experiments, which demonstrated substantial anti-Fusarium activity and a reduction in disease incidence, suggesting the effectiveness of SA NRRL B-24137 in disease management [54]. Li and colleagues [55] investigated the role of salicylic acid (SA) as a biofungicide against Fusarium wilt.…”

Isolation and Characterization of Fusarium Oxysporum F.SP. Vasinfectum Causative Agent of Cotton Wilt Disease in Punjab, Pakistan

“…vasinfectum (FOV) is an important disease affecting agents, nearly all cottongrowing regions of the world, and reduced cotton yield to intolerable levels (Seo et al, 2020). Many other species of Fusarium are also linked with roots of cotton but their role as pathogen is still not clear (Asif et al, 2023). FOV morphologically identical pathogenic, nonpathogenic and even beneficial strains.…”