Abstract

Biological control is a promising approach to reduce plant diseases caused by nematodes. We tested the effect of the fungus Clonostachys rosea strain IK726 inoculation on nematode community composition in a naturally nematode infested soil in a pot experiment, and the effect of C. rosea on plant health. The numbers of plant- parasitic nematode genera extracted from soil and plant roots decreased by 40 to 73% when C. rosea was applied, while genera of nonparasitic nematodes were not affected. Soil inoculation of C. rosea increased fresh shoot weight and shoot length of wheat plants by 20 and 24%, respectively, while only shoot dry weight increased by 48% in carrots. Light microscopy of in vitro C. rosea-nematode interactions did not reveal evidence of direct parasitism. However, culture filtrates of C. rosea growing in potato dextrose broth, malt extract broth and synthetic nutrient broth exhibited toxicity toward nematodes and immobilized 57, 62, and 100% of the nematodes, respectively, within 48 h. This study demonstrates that C. rosea can control plant- parasitic nematodes and thereby improve plant growth. The most likely mechanism responsible for the antagonism is antibiosis through production of nematicidal compounds, rather than direct parasitism.

Keywords

biological control; integrated pest management; plant growth parameters

Published in

Phytopathology
2018, Volume: 108, number: 1, pages: 52-59

SLU Authors

• Iqbal, Mudassir

  • Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Dubey, Mukesh

  • Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Mcewan, Kerstin

  • Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Menzel, Uwe

  • Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Andersson Franko, Mikael

  • Department of Energy and Technology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Viketoft, Maria

  • Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Jensen, Dan Funck

  • Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Karlsson, Magnus

  • Department of Forest Mycology and Plant Pathology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

SLU Plant Protection Network


UKÄ Subject classification

Microbiology
Agricultural Science
Plant Biotechnology


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHYTO-03-17-0091-R

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/94818