Efficiency of Trichoderma Species on Control of Fusarium-rot, Root Knot and Reniform Nematodes Disease Complex on Sunflower

Abstract

The effect of Trichoderma species in control of root-rot fungus, Fusarium solani, root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica or reniform nematode, Rotylenchulus reniformis disease complex and on growth of sunflower plant was studied under greenhouse conditions. Treating two weeks old sunflower seedlings cv. Giza 1 with Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride, T. koningii, T. reesei or T. hamatum gave highly significant effect in control of fusarium-rot disease incidence and nematodes infection on sunflower roots. Infection of F. solani was highly increased in M. javanica infested soil than R. reniformis. Treatments of. Trichoderma species led to decrease Fusarium cfu counts in soil infested with either M. javanica or R. reniformis and also significantly improved the plant growth parameters. T. hamatum, T. harzianum and T. koningii gave the greatest reduction in disease incidence caused by Fusarium, M. javanica or R. reniformis infestation. Generally, there was highly significant reduction (p<0.01) in the number of fusarium-wilt disease and nematode population and increases in plant growth parameter of sunflower when treated with Trichoderma species.

Isolation and Identification of New Pathogen Causing Sunflower Disk Rot in China

“…Sunflower wilt is caused by Fusarium infestation, which starts at the roots of the plant and reaches the stems destroying the cells of the vascular system, ultimately leading to total wilting of the plant. Currently, many Fusarium species causing sunflower wilt have been reported from all over the world, such as F. oxysporum f.sp helianthi [20], F. solani [21],F. equiseti and F. culmorum [22].…”