Evaluation of Pseudomonas and Bacillus Strains as Potential Biocontrol Agents against Fusarium Wilt of Chickpea

Abstract

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) production is severely reduced by Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris (Foc) in most chickpea growing areas worldwide. The effect of treating chickpea seeds with three bacterial strains of Bacillus and two strains of Pseudomonas to control wilt caused by this pathogen was carried out in plots under field conditions. The Bacillus strains had much better effect than Pseudomonas strains on plants health. Bacillus strain (K3) significantly increased seed germination, plant weight, number of pods and the yield. These were increased by (12, 21.2, 39.8 and 14.2%) respectively. Also, the strain B. amyloliquefaciens (5113) showed significantly increases of plant weight, number of pods and the yield (19.6, 19.9 and 10.1%) respectively. It can be concluded that bacterial seed coating combined with other control strategies as integrated pest management could be used successfully to control or at least decrease the effect of Fusarium wilt on chickpea production.

Keywords

• bacillus subtilis
• fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris
• non-chemical control
• pseudomonas fluorescens
• seedborne pathogens.