New strains obtained after UV treatment and protoplast fusion of native Trichoderma harzianum: their biocontrol activity on Pyrenochaeta lycopersici

The obtainment of 30 new strains from native Trichoderma harzianum after UV light irradiation (UV-A and UV-C), and of 82 strains resulted from protoplast fusion were accomplished. The new strains, initially selected for their growing rate under low temperature and high pH conditions, as well as for their innocuousness on tomato plants, were tested for in vitro inhibition of Pyrenochaeta lycopersici in dual cultures and due to secretion of volatile and diffusible metabolites. All the UV-A and UV-C selected candidate mutants were innocuous to tomato plants, but none of them showed improvement in their biocontrol activity on P. lycopersici. Th12A20.1 increased 1.3 and 1.9 fold the total fresh weight of Fortaleza tomato plants when compared to its parental strains Th12 and Th11, respectively. The selected candidate mutants obtained through protoplast fusion were also innocuous to tomato plants, but only ThF1-2 and ThF4-4 inhibited 1.3 fold (in dual cultures) and 5 fold (due to secretion of volatile metabolites) the growth of P. lycopersici, respectively, in relation to the mean inhibitory effect of both parents. Therefore, these candidate mutants could be included in experiments under field conditions.

Biocontrol of root and crown rot in tomatoes under greenhouse conditions using Trichoderma harzianum and Paenibacillus lentimorbus: additional effect of solarization

Trichoderma harzianum 650 (Th650) and Paenebacillus lentimorbus 629 (Pl629) selected earlier for their ability to control Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium solani and F. oxysporum in vitro, were applied alone or combined with solarization (summer assay) and/or with methyl bromide (MeBr) (summer and winter assays) to a soil with a high inoculum level, for the control of tomato root rot caused by the complex F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici - Pyrenochaeta lycopersici - Rhizoctonia solani. Evaluations were also performed independently for root damage caused by P. lycopersici, and also for R. solani in the summer assay. MeBr decreased tomato root damage caused by the complex from 88.7 percent to 21.2 percent and from 78.4 percent to 35.7 percent in the summer and in the winter assay, respectively. None of the bio-controllers could replace MeBr in the winter assay, but Th650 and Pl629 reduced root damage caused by this complex in the summer assay. Treatments with bio-controllers were improved by their combination with solarization in this season. Independent evaluations showed that the positive control of Th650 towards R. solani and the lack of effect on P. lycopersici correlates well with the endochitinase pattern expressed by Th650 in response to these phytopathogens. Root damage caused by R. solani can be controlled at a similar level as it does MeBr in summer assays, thus representing an alternative to the use of this chemical fungicide for the control of this phytopathogen.