Abstract
BackgroundOlive production is the main agricultural activity in Tunisia. The diversity of fungi was explored in two different olive groves located in two distant geographical zones in Sfax (Tunisia) with different management practices.ResultsFungal isolation was made from soil and the major olive tree pests, namely the Olive fly, Bactrocera oleae Gmelin (Diptera: Tephritidae), and the Olive psyllid, Euphyllura olivina Costa (Homoptera: Psyllidae). A total of 34 fungal isolates were identified according to their phenotypic, genotypic, biochemical and biological activities. Twenty fungal species were identified belonging to six different genera (Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Lecanicillium and Penicillium) by the analysis of their ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 ribosomal DNA region. Different bioassays performed in this work revealed that 25/34 (73.5%) of the identified fungal isolates showed an entomopathogenic and/or antagonistic activity, 9/34 (26.5%) of them displayed phytopathogenic features.ConclusionsFungal species that showed entomopathogenic and/or antagonistic potentialities and that are non-phytopathogenic, (17/34; 50%) of our fungal isolates, could be explored for olive protection against fungal diseases and pests, and might have a future application as biocontrol agents.
Highlights
Olive production is the main agricultural activity in Tunisia
Twenty fungal species were identified belonging to 6 different genera (Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Lecanicillium, Penicillium) and 5 families (Trichocomaceae, Pleosporaceae, Nectriaceae, Davidiellaceae, Cordycipitiaceae) by the comparison of their ITS1–5.8S-ITS2 sequences
Entomopathogenic activity From the fungal taxa identified in this study, Aspergillus pseudodeflectus F13 and Lecanicillium aphanocladii F28’ were found highly pathogenic to Ephestia kuehniella larvae
Summary
Olive production is the main agricultural activity in Tunisia. The diversity of fungi was explored in two different olive groves located in two distant geographical zones in Sfax (Tunisia) with different management practices. In Tunisia, with approximately 8.5 million olive trees spreading over almost 1.7 million ha, Sfax governorate has the largest surface dedicated to olive cultivation, representing 18.7% of the national olive cultivation area [8], and ensuring 33% of the Tunisian olive oil production [9]. In this governorate, olive cultivation has as a consequence, considerable
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