TITLE:
A Comparative Study of Different Strains of Trichoderma under Different Conditions of Temperature and pH for the Control of Rhizoctonia solani
AUTHORS:
Pérez Alejandro Andrés, Pérez María Alejandra, Martínez Coca Benedicto, Rollhaiser Ignacio Nahuel, Blengini María Clara
KEYWORDS:
Biological Control, Abiotic Factors, Phytopathogen
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.13 No.6,
June
23,
2022
ABSTRACT: Severe damage caused by R. solani in the potato crop and the current limitations for its control justify the assessment of potential biocontrol agents and their relationship with abiotic factors to be successfully included in sustainable production systems. The aim of this study was to test the effect of temperature (10˚C, 15˚C, 25˚C, 35˚C) and pH (5.5, 7, 8.5) on the growth and antagonist mechanisms of 26 native strains of 11 species of Trichoderma for the control of R. solani. The response obtained was dependent on the isolation, rather than on the Trichoderma specie that was tested. Most of them showed greater growth at 25˚C and pH 5.5, with overgrowth values between 75% and 100% and greater percentage of radial growth inhibition (PRGI) at 50%. A greater ability to compete for the substrate is observed, enhanced by its higher growth rate. Hyphal interaction mechanisms were varied and, at least, 92% of the isolations showed a minimum of two different types. Knowledge of the behavior of the different strains in front of varied abiotic factors will enable an understanding of the population dynamic of Trichoderma and the identification of the most efficient strains for the control of R. solani.