Potential antagonism of some Trichoderma strains isolated from Moroccan soil against three phytopathogenic fungi of great economic importance

Abstract

In this study, 17 Trichoderma strains were isolated from different soils (crop fields and Argan forests) in Morocco. Purified monospore cultures were identified using molecular methods and tested for their potential antagonism against three phytopathogenic fungi (Fusarium oxyxporum, verticillium dahlia and rhizoctonia solani). After DNA extraction, translation elongation factor (tef1) was amplified in extracts of 17 strains, sequenced and compared with their ex-types. As a result, three species were identified among the strains, which clustered in two different subclades of Trichoderma: the species T. afroharzianum, and T. guizhouense belong to the Harzianum clade, while T. longibrachiatum belongs to the Longibrachiatum clade. Investigation of potential antagonistic effects of these strains against the soil-borne phytopathogens F. oxysporum, R. solani and V. dahliae was conducted in a dual culture plate assay, using 17 promising Trichoderma strains that have been selected based on a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening approach. In vitro, Trichoderma isolates showed effective antagonistic performance by decreasing soil borne pathogens mycelium radial growth. Trichoderma afroharzianum showed the highest Percentage of Radial Inhibition Growth (PRIG %). The highest PRIG% = 98% was for 8A2.3 isolate against R. solani and the lowest PRIG%= 67% for T9i10 against F. oxysporum. On the other hand, T9i12, which is T. reesei species, led to a high radial inhibition of pathogens’ mycelium.

Keywords

• Trichoderma spp
• Fusarium oxysporum
• Verticillium dahlia
• Rhizoctonia solani
• antagonistic fungi