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. 2022 Nov;194(11):5100-5118.
doi: 10.1007/s12010-022-03975-9. Epub 2022 Jun 11.

Antagonistic Effect of Plant Growth-Promoting Fungi Against Fusarium Wilt Disease in Tomato: In vitro and In vivo Study

Mohamed S Attia  1 , Deiaa A El-Wakil  2   3 , Amr H Hashem  4 , Amer M Abdelaziz  5
Affiliations

Antagonistic Effect of Plant Growth-Promoting Fungi Against Fusarium Wilt Disease in Tomato: In vitro and In vivo Study

Mohamed S Attia et al. Appl Biochem Biotechnol. 2022 Nov.

Abstract

Fusarium wilt is considered one of the most destructive diseases for tomato plants. The novelty of this work was to investigate the antifungal and plant growth-promoting capabilities of some plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF). Plant growth-promoting fungi (PGPF) improved the plant health and control plant infections. In this study, two fungal strains as PGPF were isolated and identified as Aspergillus fumigatus and Rhizopus oryzae using molecular method. The extracts of A. fumigatus and R. oryzae exhibited promising antifungal activity against F. oxysporum in vitro. Moreover, antagonistic effect of A. fumigatus and R. oryzae against F. oxysporum causing tomato wilt disease was evaluated in vivo. Disease severity and growth markers were recorded and in vitro antagonistic activity assay of the isolated A. fumigatus and R. oryzae against Fusarium oxysporum was measured. Physiological markers of defense in plant as response to stimulate systemic resistance (SR) were recorded. Our results indicated that A. fumigatus and R. oryzae decreased the percentage of disease severity by 12.5 and 37.5%, respectively. In addition, they exhibited relatively high protection percentage of 86.35 and 59.06% respectively. Fusarium wilt was declined the growth parameters, photosynthetic pigments, total soluble carbohydrate, and total soluble protein, whereas content of free proline, total phenols, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes activity increased under infection. Moreover, application of A. fumigatus and R. oryzae on infected plants successfully recovered the loss of morphological traits, photosynthetic pigment total carbohydrates, and total soluble proteins in comparison to infected control plants. PGPF strains in both non-infected and infected plants showed several responses in number and density of peroxidase (POD) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) isozymes.

Keywords: Antifungal activity; Biological control; Fusarium oxysporum; Induction of systemic resistance; Phytopathology; Plant growth-promoting fungi.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
A Colony of A. fumigatus on PDA grown at 28 °C for 4 days showing the culture characteristics. B Light microscope showing rough walled conidia, stipe, conidia, sterigmata, and conidial head of A. fumigatus (400X). C Colony of R. oryzae on PDA grown at 28 °C for 4 days showing the culture characteristics. D Light microscope showing sporangiophores, sporangium, sporangiospores, and rhizoids of R. oryzae (100X):1. E Growth of R. oryzae on PD broth medium and F growth of A. fumigatus on PD broth medium grown at 28 °C for 15 day
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Phylogenetic tree of A. fumigatus and R. oryzae in relative with international isolates
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Antifungal activity of A. fumigatus and R. oryzae: A) Inhibition zone; B) MIC
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Effect of PGPF on morphological indicators of tomato plants. A Healthy + R. oryzae. B Healthy + A. fumigatus. C Infected + A. fumigatus. D Infected + R. oryzae
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Effect of PGPF on total carbohydrate and protein of tomato plants
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
Effect of PGPF on enzyme activity of tomato plants
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
Effect of F. oxysporum and application of A. fumigatus and R. oryzae on peroxidase isozyme of tomato plants
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Effect of F. oxysporum and application of tested elicitors (A. fumigatus or R. oryzae) on peroxidase isozyme of tomato plants
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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