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Biological control of avocado white root rot with combined applications of Trichoderma spp. and rhizobacteria

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Abstract

This study tested the effectiveness of single and combined applications of Trichoderma and rhizobacterial strains to control white root rot (WRR) caused by Rosellinia necatrix in avocado plants. Three Trichoderma, two T. atroviride and one T. virens monoconidal strains and four bacterial strains (Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes and two P. chlororaphis) were assayed to determine their compatibilities in vitro. In addition, the effects of the bacterial filtrates were evaluated against the Trichoderma strains and reciprocally; these filtrates were applied alone or in combination to determine their effectiveness against R. necatrix. Individual control agents or combinations of them were applied to avocado plants that were artificially inoculated with a virulent R. necatrix strain. Compatibility between the combined Trichoderma applications and the bacterial strains was observed and these combinations significantly improved the control of R. necatrix during the in vitro experiments. A relative protective effect of some Trichoderma and bacteria was observed on the control of avocado WRR when they were applied singly. The combinations of T. atroviride strains with bacterial strains P. chlororaphis and P. pseudoalcaligenes showed a better control of avocado WRR, whereas the rest of Trichoderma and bacteria combinations also reduced significantly the level of disease and induced a delay at the onset of disease with respect to avocado plants inoculated either with Trichoderma or bacteria.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the “Consejería de Innovación Ciencia y Empresa”-Junta de Andalucía grant (Grupos PAIDI AGR-169, AGR-235) and by the Plan Nacional I+D+I from Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (AGL 2008-05453-C02-01, AGL 2008-05453-C02-02, AGL 2011-030354-CO2-01 and AGL 2011-030354-CO2-02). In addition, this research was co-financed by FEDER funds (EU). The authors acknowledge the support of Dr. Araceli Barceló and the “Instituto de Investigación y Formación Agraria y Pesquera” (IFAPA)-Churriana facilities (Junta de Andalucía, Málaga).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Protección de Cultivos, Instituto de Agricultura Sostenible, C.S.I.C., Apartado 4084, Córdoba, Spain

    D. Ruano-Rosa & C. J. López-Herrera

  2. Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea “La Mayora”, (IHSM-UMA-CSIC), Departamento de Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Campus Universitario de Teatinos, 29071, Málaga, Spain

    F. M. Cazorla, N. Bonilla, R. Martín-Pérez & A. De Vicente

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  1. D. Ruano-Rosa
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  2. F. M. Cazorla
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  3. N. Bonilla
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  4. R. Martín-Pérez
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  5. A. De Vicente
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  6. C. J. López-Herrera
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Correspondence to C. J. López-Herrera.

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Ruano-Rosa, D., Cazorla, F.M., Bonilla, N. et al. Biological control of avocado white root rot with combined applications of Trichoderma spp. and rhizobacteria. Eur J Plant Pathol 138, 751–762 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10658-013-0347-8

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