Biulogical cOlllrol o{ jimgal and baclerial planl pathugens /oB C/lVprs Blllletin Vol. 43. 2009

pp. 239-242

Control of Fusarium in chrysanthemum with sewage sludge, biofertilizer, hydrolyzed fish, chitosan, and Trichoderma

Wagner Bettiol, Zayame Vegette Pinto Embrapa Environment, CP 69, 13820-000, Jaguariuna, SP, Brazil, E-mail: bettiol@cnpma.embrapa.br

Abstract: Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. chrysanthemi can cause severe losses in chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifoliwn) in BraziL This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of sewage sludge, bioferti lizer, hydrolyzed fish, chitosan, and Trichoderma harzianum to control Fusarium in chrysanthemum in substrate composed of pine bark (PH 5.5; EC 0.6 ~S) obtained from pots of dead chrysanthemum plants. The infested substrate was or was not sterilized in water vapor (2 h; 100°C); with sewage sludge incorporated (0, 10, 20, and 30% v/v) . Into these mixtures were added (or not) biofertilirr (1 4 mill), hydrolyzed fish (10 mill) and Trichoderma (108 conidia/ml), transferred to pots (3 1) and ; lanted with ' Yellow-Marino' chrysanthemum seedlings. For all treatments, half of the pots were Spnl\ Gd with chitosan (200 mg/l) weekly. A multi factorial randomized experimental design with 24 replications, totaling 2560 pots, was adopted. The plants were grown in a commercial greenhouse and evaluations for disease severity (I =healthy plant; to 5=dead plant or wilted leaves) were performed at 8, 12, 14, 18 weeks after transplanting. In addition, plants were classified in commercial (class 1, II, III) or not, after 18th week. The level of disease control was directly proportional to sewage sludge concentration incorporated in the substrate. Biofertilizer, hydrolyzed fi sh, chitosan and Trichoderma did not control the disease. In general, disease severities were higher in plants growing in steri le substrate when compared the plants growing in non-sterile substrate.

Key words: biological control, organic matter, sewage sludge, suppressive soil, Trichoderma

Introduction

Chrysanthemum Fusarium wilt (Chrysantemum morifolium) caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. chrysanthemi is an important disease of this plant in Brazil, and the disease incidence has increased in recent years. In some growers, the incidence of Fusarium wilt has caused serious losses of around 80%. For the infection of Fusarium in chrysanthemum to take place, wounding is not necessary, but it contributes. Symptoms include yellowing, stunting and wilting of plants, lower leaves, vascular system tissues turning reddish brown and possible plant death. The control of Fusarium wilt in chrysanthemum is a problem because the most important cultivars are not resistant or tolerant and no chemical control is available. Then, the methods of controlling of Fusarium wilt should be preventive and should include the use of suppressive container media. Soil and container media amend with mature compost, fish emulsion, sewage sludge and other organic matters may suppress the soil-borne disease (Chef et aI. , 1983 ; Hoitink & Fahy, 1986; Ghini et aI., 2002; Santos & Bettiol, 2003 ; Lazarovits et aI., 2008). The use o(organic matter originated from waste, besides improving the chemical, physical and biological soils characteristics, reduces the impact in the environment. This study was done to evaluate the efficacy of sewage sludge, biofertilizer, fish hydrolyzed, chitosan, and Trichoderma harzianum to control Fusarium in chrysanthemum in substrate composed of pine bark obtained from pots of dead chrysanthemum plants.

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Material and methods

The studies were conducted in the greenhouse of a grower with serious problems of Fusarium wilt on chrysanthemum. The container media, composed of pine bark (pH 5.5; EC 0.6 IlS), utilized in the two experiments was obtained from pots containing chrysanthemum with high severity of Fusarium wilt. The natural infested substrate was or was not sterilized in steam (2 h; lOO°C) and sewage sludge was incorporated at these containers media at concentration of 0, 10,20, and 30% (v/v). Into these mixtures, after 15 days of incubation, in the first experiment biofertilizer (B) (14 mill), and Trichoderma (T) (108 conidia/ml) were added (or not), transferred to pots (3 I) and planted with ' Yellow-Marino' chrysanthemum health seedlings. In the second experiment, hydrolyzed fish (H) (10 mil\) was used instead of biofertilizer. For all treatments, half of the pots were sprayed with chitosan (C) (200 mg/I) weekly, during 10 weeks. A multifactorial randomized experimental design with 24 replications, totaling 2560 pots, with one plant per pot, was adopted. The plants were grown in a commercial greenhouse (temperature is about 45°C afternoon) and the fertility levels were adjusted according to grower program. The evaluations for disease severity (I =healthy plant; 2= plant with main vascular system tissues totally reddish brown; 3= plant with main vascular system tissues totally reddish brown and at least one secondary reddish brown haste; 4= plant with wilt; 5=dead plant or wilted leaves) were performed at 8, 12, 14, and 18 weeks after transplanting. In addition, plants were classified in commercial (class I, II, III) or not, after the 18th week. We therefore calculated the area under the disease severity curve (AUDSC). After severity evaluations, sections from stems of wilted chrysanthemum plants were placed in Komada's medium to ensure correct diagnosis.

Results and discussion

Trichoderma did not suppress Chrysanthemum Fusarium wilt, independently on the other treatments. In the experiments, there was a quadratic response with an inflection point at 10 and 20% for area under the disease severity curve for sewage sludge, independently on the other treatments (Fig. I AB). Apparently, suppression of the Fusarium wilt in the sewage sludge is biological in origin, because in general, disease severities were higher in pllll,(S growing in sterile substrate when compared to the plants growing in non-sterile substrate. The effect of sewage sludge to reduce the incidence or severity of soil-borne plant disease was observed for Sclerotium rolfsii in bean (Santos & Bettiol , 2003); F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici race I in tomato (Cotxarrera et aI. , 2002); Rhizoctonia solani in radish, S. rolfsii in bean and Rasltonia solanacearum in tomato (Ghini et aI. , 2007). Possibly, the effect of sewage sludge on the suppressiveness induction on soil/substrate is specific to each pathosystem since Ghini et al. (2007) observed the absence of effects of sewage sludge in F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and Bettiol (2003) observed that increasing concentrations of the same types of sludge resulted in increased incidence of com stalk rot caused by Fusarium.

Biofertilizer, fish hydrolyzed, and chitosan did not suppress Fusarium wilt (Fig. lAB). In the diseased plants, Fusarium was isolated from stems in Komada's medium, to stress the diagnosis. In all sewage sludge concentrations, the plants were classified in commercial class I and II.

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by The National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).

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References

Bettiol, W. 2004: Effe Fusarium. - Sum]

us problems of Fusarium .rk (pH 5.5; EC 0.6 IlS), hrysanthemum with high not sterilized in steam (2 :dia at concentration of 0, In, in the first experiment I) were added (or not), hemum health seedlings. stead of biofertilizer. For mg/I) weekly, during 10

!plications, totaling 2560 a commercial greenhouse re adjusted according to lant; 2= plant with main I vascular system tissues aste; 4= plant with wilt; weeks after transplanting. · not, after the 18th week. (AU DSC). After severity vere placed in Komada's

iependently on the other · an inflection point at 10 Ige, independently on the lrium wilt in the sewage es were higher in plfu l(S non-sterile substrate. The .-bome plant disease was 3); F oxysporum f. sp. [ani in radish, S. rolfsii in I. Possibly, the effect of :ate is specific to each :ts of sewage sludge in F sing concentrations of the · caused by Fusarium. ;usarium wilt (Fig. 1 AB). la's medium, to stress the ;ified in commercial class

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Figure 1. Effect of sewage sludge, biofertilizer (B), fish hydrolyzed (H), chitosan (C), and Trichoderma harzianum (T) to control Fusarium in chrysanthemum in substrate composed of pine bark naturally infested. *Biofertilizer (A) and fish hydrolyzed (B).

References

Bettiol, W. 2004: Effect of sewage sludge on the incidence of com stalk rot caused by Fusarium. - Summa Phytopathol. 30: 16-22.

242

Chef, D.G., Hoitink, H.AJ . & Madden, L.V. 1983: Effects of organic components in container meida on suppression of Fusarium wilt of chrysanthemum and flax. -Phytopathology 73 : 279-281 .

Cotxarrera, L., Trillas-Gay, M.I., Steinberg, C. & Alabouvette, C. 2002: Use of sewage sludge compost and Trichoderma asperellum isolates to suppress Fusarium wilt of tomato. - Soil BioI. Biochem. 34: 467-476.

Ghini, R., Schoenmaker, I.A.S. & Bettiol, W. 2002: Solariza~ao do solo e incorpora~ao de fontes de materia orgiinica no controle de Pythium spp. - Pesquisa agropecuana Brasileira 37: 1253-1261.

Ghini, R., Patricio, F.R.A., Bettiol, W., Almeida, I.M.G. & Maia, A.H.N. 2007: Effect of sewage sludge on suppressiveness to soil-borne plant pathogens. - Soil BioI. Biochem. 39: 2797-805.

Hoitink, H.AJ. & Fahy, P.C. 1986: Basis for the control of soilborne plant pathogens with composts. - Annu. Rev. Phytopathol. 24: 93-114.

Lazarovits, G., Abbassi, P., Conn, K., Hill, J. & Hemmingsen, S. 2008 : Fish emulsion and liquid swine manure: model systems for development of organic amendments as fertilizers with disease suppressive properties. - Summa Phytopathol. 34: S 194-S 195.

Santos, I. & Bettiol, W. 2003: Effect of sewage sludge on the rot and seedling damping-off of bean plants caused by Sclerotium rolfsii. - Crop Prot. 22: 1093-1097.

Biological control Trichoderma aspe.

Marcelo A.B. Morand Embrapa Environment, E-mail: mmorandi@cnj

Abstract: White mold (. Brazil. Biocontrol agenl Trichoderma and Clonos. one isolate of T. asperell the white mold in an irri! plots (1 m2 each) severe I check (no sclerotia), infe dermil lcommercial proc plots treated with BCAs marginally reduced in the reduced in the fungicide results are probably due t other plots. The observed BCAs to reduce the survi

Key words: biological c(

Introduction

White mold, (Sclerotil bean (Phaseolus vulgQl when daylight length i! & Zambo lim, 2006). Brazil, but, because of are needed. Several st control agents to redl (Gerlagh et aI. , 1999).

Numerous funga. sclerotia of the patho (Whipps & Budge 1 associated with sclerol In general, the develo restrict their efficienc)

We selected one against S. sclerotiorw objective of this work rosea isolates against ·