Phialomyces macrosporus reduces cercospora coffeicola survival on symptomatic coffee leaves

Abstract

Brown eye spot is among the most important coffee diseases, it is caused by a necrotrophic fungal Cercospora coffeicola. Saprobe fungi have potential in reducing the survival of necrotrophic pathogens and can act through competition of nutrients, mycoparasitism, antibiosis and resistance induction. We have screened saprobe fungi for the ability to reduce C. coffeicola sporulation and viability and determined the possible mechanisms involved in the biocontrol. The selected saprobe fungus, Phialomyces macrosporus, reduced the germination of C. coffeicola conidia by 40%. P. macrosporus produced both volatile and non-volatile compounds that inhibited C. coffeicola growth, sporulation and viability. The production of antimicrobial substances was the main mode of action used by the saprobe fungi. Therefore, P. macrosporus is a promising biological agent for the integrated management of brown eye spot.