Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important source for human and animal nutrition and contributes to improve soil fertility. In EU, chickpea is mainly cultivated in the Mediterranean Basin, with Spain being the main producer. Chickpea is susceptible to different pathogens. The most aggressive are different fungi of the genus Fusarium, the causal agents of plant wilt and/or root rot. The phytosanitary problems caused by Fusarium spp. and other soilborne pathogens are often a consequence of microbial diversity depletion in the rhizosphere, and recent studies have evidenced that restoring levels of biodiversity can reduce the impact of these pathogens. The main goal of this investigation was to select and optimize a microbial consortium, consisting of a mixture of bacteria selected from the naturally occurring microflora of the chickpea rhizosphere. Rhizobacteria were selected for biological control of F. oxysporum f.sp. ciceris race 0 and F. solani f. sp. pisi, based on their antagonist activity against the two fungal pathogens as well as their plant growth promoting capacity. The best results were obtained with isolates of Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Rahnella aquatilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. In assays on chickpea plants, the microbial consortium composed by a mixture of these bacteria efficiently controlled both Fusarium pathogens, with a synergistic effect of the bacterial mixture with respect to individually applied bacteria. Research is in progress to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction between antagonists, plants and pathogenic Fusarium isolates.
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF CHICKPEA FUSARIOSIS:THE SOLUTION IN THE RHIZOSPHERE
Palmieri D.;DE CURTIS, Filippo;LIMA, Giuseppe
2014-01-01
Abstract
Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is an important source for human and animal nutrition and contributes to improve soil fertility. In EU, chickpea is mainly cultivated in the Mediterranean Basin, with Spain being the main producer. Chickpea is susceptible to different pathogens. The most aggressive are different fungi of the genus Fusarium, the causal agents of plant wilt and/or root rot. The phytosanitary problems caused by Fusarium spp. and other soilborne pathogens are often a consequence of microbial diversity depletion in the rhizosphere, and recent studies have evidenced that restoring levels of biodiversity can reduce the impact of these pathogens. The main goal of this investigation was to select and optimize a microbial consortium, consisting of a mixture of bacteria selected from the naturally occurring microflora of the chickpea rhizosphere. Rhizobacteria were selected for biological control of F. oxysporum f.sp. ciceris race 0 and F. solani f. sp. pisi, based on their antagonist activity against the two fungal pathogens as well as their plant growth promoting capacity. The best results were obtained with isolates of Serratia marcescens, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Rahnella aquatilis and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. In assays on chickpea plants, the microbial consortium composed by a mixture of these bacteria efficiently controlled both Fusarium pathogens, with a synergistic effect of the bacterial mixture with respect to individually applied bacteria. Research is in progress to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction between antagonists, plants and pathogenic Fusarium isolates.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
