CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

ABSTRACTNacobbus aberrans affects the growth and development of plants and decreases the production of numerous horticultural crops. Several investigations have shown that symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizae-can confer tolerance to pathogens through different mechanisms of action, such as nutrient space competition and plant resistance induction. The aim was to analyze the potential of three arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) Rhizophagus intraradices B1, Rhizophagus intraradices A2 and Funneliformis mosseae in the control of N. aberrans and evaluate the physiological and biochemical responses to inoculation in pepper plants. The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions. The mycorrhization percentages, chlorophyll, carotenes and soluble proteins, Proline, phenolic compounds, total and reducing sugar content, roots relative conductivity of cell membranes and final nematode population were determined. The mycorrhization percentages was higher in plants parasitized by N. aberrans with respect to those not parasitized. The final population of nematodes was reduced in the presence of mycorrhizae. In the absence of AMF, parasitism by N. aberrans caused a decrease in the content of soluble proteins and chlorophyll. The loss of the functionality of the infected roots in the plants induced a Water stress, reflected by the accumulation of proline, total and reducing sugar and increased the relative conductivity of cell membranes. At the same time, as a product of pathogenesis, phenolic compounds accumulated. The inoculation with AMF, decreased the proline, sugars, phenolic compounds content and relative conductivity. These results show the potential for the use of AMF in pepper production to reduce the population of N. aberrans, being the strain R. intraradices B1 the more promising candidate.