Fungal biocontrol of root diseases: endomycorrhizal suppression of cylindrocarpon root rot

Abstract

Many reviews in the past decade outline the need to understand the complex interactions between fungal pathogens of roots, mycorrhizal fungi, mycorrhizosphere associates, and various climatic and edaphic factors to develop stable mycorrhizal biocontrol strategies. Cylindrocarpon root rot caused by Cylindrocarpon destructans is a good example of a replant disorder that is amenable to this type of control in nurseries and new or renovated orchard sites. Cylindrocarpon root rot was reduced by endomycorrhizal colonization of potted peach rootstocks with Glomus aggregatum under controlled environment conditions using Turface or natural, untreated orchard soils. Several mechanisms of suppression are discussed including tolerance to the pathogen through increased host vigor and reduced exudation, competition for space and nutrients, and induced host resistance. Technical innovations and new concepts of fungal community ecology are improving the odds of developing effective biocontrols with mycorrhizae. Exploitation of natural and integrated disease management using multiple mechanisms of pathogen inhibition may offset the difficulties in inoculum preparation. Key words: Cylindrocarpon destructans, antagonism, competition, rhizosphere, mycorrhizosphere.