Journal of Plant Pathology & Microbiology

Abstract

Screening of Plant Endophytes as Biological Control Agents against Root Rot Pathogens of Pepper (Capsicum annum L.)

Mmbaga MT, Gurung S and Maheshwari A

In this study, 16 endophytes previously isolated from flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) stem tissue without causing any external symptoms, were screened for bioactivity against different root rot pathogens, Fusarium solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Macrophomina phaseolina and three Phytophthora species. While most of the endophytessuppressed pathogen growth in dual culture and exhibited potential as biological control agents, one fungal endophyte A22F1, (Nigrospora sphaerica) was evaluated further in growth chamber and greenhouse experiments in which it markedly reduced Phytophthora capsici root rot on three pepper cultivars ‘California Wonder’, ‘Pepper Cayenne’ and ‘Numex Primarvera’. Thus, endophyte A22F1 has high potential as a biological control agent for P. capsiciin pepper. It’s in vitro bioactivity displayed against F. solani, F. oxysporum, and M. phaseolina requireadditional in vivo studies on susceptible hosts.