Integration Between Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi, Bacterial and Fungal Bioagents for Controlling Rice Brown Spot Disease

Abstract

The main purpose of this work was to test the efficiency of Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in inducing systemic acquired resistance against rice brown spot disease alone or in combinations with the bioagents, Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pf) and Trichoderma viride (T.v.). In vitro test showed inhibition of 52.85% and 57.14%, respectively for the two selected bioagents with deformation and lysis for the pathogen spores. Under greenhouse conditions, the mixture of AMF + Tv and AMF + Pf + Tv, showed the highest efficiency in reducing the disease incidence after the fungicide treatment, whereas they achieved 65.60 and 48.40%, respectively. Field trials at two locations showed potentiality of AMF combined with the other bioagents in decreasing the percentages of disease incidence and severity. Also, the applied treatment increased the plant growth parameters, i.e., chlorophyll content, plant height and yield. Microscopic examination for rice plant roots showed colonization structures of AMF. Also, Pathogenesis related proteins had been defined.