Abstract
Two isolations of fungi from a bank of microorganisms in the Biological Sciences Laboratory at Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimborazo were tested on the galling caused by Meloidogyne incognita in tomato seedlings grown in pots with substrate infested with a suspension of nematodes, with approximately 2000 juvenile stages (J2) from root galls of plants infested with M. incognita, taken from the Nematology laboratory of the Ecuadorian Agricultural Quality Assurance Agency (AGROCALIDAD). Pleurotus ostreatus was a fungus with nematicidal characteristics through production of toxins; while Trichoderma harzianum is a widely known fungus, although it is a plant growth promoter rather than a nematicide. The two fungi were formulated in wheat straw and rabbit manure. A complete randomized design (CRD) with three replications was used, with a chemical control (Fenamiphos) and an absolute control. Five grams of each formulation was applied per plant before the transplant. The number of galls in the roots, plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves and fresh and dry weight of the aerial part and roots of 180 tomato plants grown in greenhouse were evaluated at 60 days after transplant. The results showed that the two fungi reduced the number of galls and made it possible to obtain dry weights of the aerial and radicular part very close to the chemical control (10.09 and 3.39 g) with 8.68; 8.04; 2.96 and 3.25 g respectively. Besides Trichoderma harzianum proved to be a good promoter of root growth, therefore, the use of these bioformulates is a promising measure for the control of this phytonematode
Highlights
The nematode Meloidogyne sp., is one of the most harmful pests of tomato worldwide, because it severely affects the roots of this crop, due to its rapid expansion and high frequency of infestation, reducing the yield by up to 68% (Salazar-Antón & Guzmán-Hernández, 2013)
Some species of Pleurotus are a source of nematicides and P. ostreatus proved to be more effective in larval mortality (Okorie, Ononuju, & Okwujiako, 2011)
Juvenile stages 2 (J2) of phytonematode Meloidogyne incognita were obtained from egg masses of females present in intentionally infested tomato roots, from AGROCALIDAD (Tumbaco - Ecuador), the eggs were incubated until hatching of the juveniles in the second stage
Summary
The nematode Meloidogyne sp., is one of the most harmful pests of tomato worldwide, because it severely affects the roots of this crop, due to its rapid expansion and high frequency of infestation, reducing the yield by up to 68% (Salazar-Antón & Guzmán-Hernández, 2013). The use of fungi as an alternative for the management of phytoparasitic nematodes can be a very important biological option (Piedra-Naranjo, 2008). Nematophagous fungi are microorganisms with the ability to attack, kill and digest nematodes (adults, juvenile stages and eggs). Aside from its nematophagous ability, many of these fungi can live saprophytically on dead organic matter, attack other fungi (mycoparasites) and colonize plant roots as endophytes (Piedra-Naranjo, 2008). Pleurotus ostreatus is worldwide a common basidiomycete, whose hyphae can produce an effective nematotoxin. It has been active in many nematodes, such as Hirschmanniella oryzae, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, Pratylenchus sp., Meloidogyne incognita, M. arenaria, among others (Xiang & Feng, 2002)
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