EVALUATION OF SOME FUNGICIDES AND BIOCONTROL AGENTS FOR CONTROLLING OF ALTERNARIA ROT ON CITRUS FRUITS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Fruit and Wood Trees Res. Dis. Dept., Plant Pathology Res. Inst., Agric. Res. Center, Giza, Egypt

2 Plant Pathology Dept., Fac. of Agric., Ain Shams Univ. Cairo, Egypt

Abstract

In this study, chemical and bio-control agents were  evaluated for their efficiency to control of  citrus fruit-rot disease  caused Alternaria citri  (K2) both, in vitro and in vivo trials. The most effective fungicides were score, montro and Iprodione compared with other fungicides depend on Ec50 and Ec90. While, the fungicide Pyraclostrobine had moderate effect on linear growth of A.  citri. Meanwhile, the Coprax, Coprareekh and Azoxystrobine were the least effective fungicide at Ec90.  Trichoderma harzianum and Bacillus subtilis tested showed antagonistic action effect to a highly pathogenic isolate of Alternaria citri, with different degrees of inhibition. T. harzianum was the most effective compared with B. subtilis, in vitro trials. Also, all fungicides were evaluated on incidence of citrus fruit rot disease in vivo trials.  The disease incidence was reduced, but with different degrees. In addition, using T. harzianum, B. subtilis, B. megaterium (Bio-ARC) and Trichoderma   album (Bio-Zeid) decreased    incidence of citrus fruit rot disease. On the other side, T. harzianum showed the highest suppressive effect against citrus fruit rot pathogen. Generally, all tested fungicides and bio-agents were effective against the causal fungus in vitro and in vivo trials, but with different degrees.

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