Biocontrol Strategies to Manage Fungal Diseases in Sugarcane

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Red rot, wilt, sett rot and seedling rot are the major fungal diseases for which biological control could be used as effective tool as a component of integrated disease management. Efficient fungal and bacterial antagonists have been identified against them, and their efficacy has been proved under in vitro and in vivo conditions. For red rot, fungal bioagents, viz. Chaetomium, Trichoderma, and bacterial antagonists individually and in combination of bacterial antagonists and fungicide were found to be effective in protecting the crop. Capability of bacterial antagonists in inducing resistance through induced systemic resistance against red rot was established. Delivery of the antagonists through sett treatment was standardized for field application. Further, pressmud formulation of Trichoderma was found effective against wilt under field conditions. Similarly, use of Trichoderma formulation was highly effective against seedling rot caused by Pythium spp. and it is used in seedling trays to manage the disease. Attempts were made to isolate and characterize antifungal genes/proteins capable of reducing the pathogenic potential of Colletotrichum falcatum, the red rot pathogen, and have yielded desirable results. Recently, molecular approaches have been applied to understand antagonistic mechanism between C. falcatum and Trichoderma harzianum. In vitro and in vivo studies during tritrophic interactions among the antagonist, the host plant and the pathogen revealed key pathogenicity genes/proteins in C. falcatum targeted by T. harzianum to reduce pathogenicity. Through interactive proteomics, many candidate antifungal proteins were identified from T. harzianum. Recent studies on biocontrol of sugarcane diseases have revealed scope for its application in the field to manage these diseases and T. harzianum as a bridge species to identify pathogenicity genes of red rot pathogen and identifying candidate antifungal genes.