Biological control of garlic (Allium) white rot disease using antagonistic fungi-based bioformulations

Abstract

White rot disease caused by Sclerotium cepivorum is a major yield reducing fungal disease of garlic found throughout the world, including Iran. The use of chemical fungicides is the most common control method for the disease at the present time. This control measure is costly, contaminates the environment, and harms non-target organisms. Moreover, since the pathogen is soil-borne, chemical control strategy is not quite effective against the disease. In this study, we tried to develop and prepare some new bioformulations based on three antagonistic fungal species: Trichoderma harzianum, T. asperellum, and Talaromyces flavus. Six isolates of the above-mentioned fungi were used along with the organic and inorganic carriers, rice bran and talc, to develop twelve new bioformulations. The effectiveness of the bioformulations were then evaluated in the control of garlic white rot disease in the greenhouse conditions in comparison with the healthy control, infected control, and the commonly used fungicide Carbendazim. The design of the experiment was completely randomised. There were 15 treatments each, with four replicates. The results of the greenhouse experiments indicated that almost all the developed bioformulations resulted in significant reductions (34.50 to 64.50%) in the incidence of white rot disease. In general, bioformulations which contained the organic carrier (rice bran) performed more effectively than those that contained the inorganic carrier (talc). Bioformulations which contained an organic carrier (rice bran) were as effective as the fungicide Carbendazim.