Biological control of wilt disease caused by fusarium oxysporum in fennel under organic farming system [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Alternaria spp.Aspergillus flavus. A. niger, A. terreus, Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, Penicillium spp., Phoma sp., Rhizopus nigricans and Trichoderma spp. were isolated from the rhizosphere and roots and stem bases of fennel plants (Foenlculum vulgare), showing wilt symptoms, grown in an organic farm. F. oxysporum gave the disease symptoms of wilt under greenhouse conditions. Seeds of anise, celery, coriander, fennel and parsley were also susceptible to the crude toxin(s). In vitro test, T. harzianum gave the best antagonistic effect against F. oxysporum, followed by P. fluorescens and B. subtilis. In field experiment, soil treatment revealed that T. harzianum has decreased the population of the pathogenic fungus, damping off and wilt disease incidence, followed by P. fluorescens and B. subtilis. The bioagent treatments enhanced some growth parameters, Le. plant height, number of primary branches, fresh and dry weight of umbels after flowering stage and also the weight of 100 fennel seeds after harvest. This work showed that application of biological control in organic farming was effective against F. oxysporum causing the wilt disease in fennel.

Summary in Arabic.

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