Native bacterial formulations for control of Fusarium verticillioides and fumonisins in maize at field level

SARTORI, MELINA; NESCI, A; ETCHEVERRY, M

Rotterdam

Conferencia; 7th conference of the World Mycotoxin Forum and XIIIth IUPAC International Symposium on Mycotoxins and Phycotoxins; 2012

@ Biological control of F. verticillioides with formulations of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens and Microbacterium oleovorans was evaluated. 2009/2010 was the first maize growing season wherein these biocontrol agents were applied as active components of two formulations, after four consecutive maize growing seasons (2004/2005, 2005/2006, 2006/2007 and 2007/2008) wherein B. amyloliquefaciens and M. oleovorans were applied in liquid cultures. Maize seeds were inoculated with a freeze-drying formulation of biocontrol agents and grown in the field. Pathogen incidence and fumonisins accumulation in harvested grain were determined. During the harvest season 2009/2010 cumulative rainfall values were below average and occurred mainly in December being scarce in the other months. The number of viable propagules of F. verticillioides on kernels treated with both biocontrol agents did not differ from those on kernels of naturally infected plants and on plants from seeds inoculated with the pathogen. The number of colony forming units was something like 5 log for all treatments. Fumonisin B1 concentrations in harvested maize were significantly reduced by both formulations. Treatment with formulations of M. oleovorans showed a reduction of 72 to 77.5%; with formulations of B. amyloliquefacines the reduction was of 50%.