Biological control of Botrytis cinerea, the causal agent of rose gray mold disease by antagonistic fungi

Abstract

In the present study, 15 fungal isolates were found. The antagonistic potential of seven of these, including Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride, T. virens, Aspergillus fumigatus, A. niger, Aspergillus sp., and Drechslera triseptata were proved under in vitro and greenhouse conditions. In the dual culture method, T. virens and T. viride (65.51%), in the volatile compounds method, T. harzianum (66.66%), and in the non-volatile compounds method, T. virens (63%), had the highest inhibitory effect on fungal mycelial growth. In the slide culture method, all the studied isolates prevented the progress of pathogenic fungal hyphae and in some deformed the hyphae. All the inoculated fungi reduced the disease severity of B. cinerea, among which T. virens was the most effective fungus, reducing the disease severity by 26%. Also, the examination of height, fresh weight, and dry weight of rose plants under greenhouse conditions revealed that the application of T. virens increased these characteristics in the presence of the pathogen. The application of other fungi tested also increased these characteristics in the presence of B. cinerea.