CHARACTERIZATION OF FUNGAL STRAINS AS POTENTIAL BIOLOGICAL CONTROL FOR Ilex paraguariensis CROPS

LÓPEZ AC; ALVARENGA AE; SAWOSTJANIK AS; SADAÑOSKI MA; LUNA MF; ZAPATA PD; VILLALBA LL

Mar del Plata

Congreso; SAIB - 51 Annual Meeting Argentine Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology; 2015

Yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis St. Hill) crops are very important in the province of Misiones, Argentina. However these cultures are infected with diverse species of fungi causing disease and death of the plants. The present study aims to isolate and identify fungal microorganisms from diseased plants collected in Misiones, and to select Trichoderma native species as potential biological control agent using antagonism tests. 50 fungal microorganisms were isolated from leaves of diseased plants. Some fungi were morphologically and molecularly identified using ITSmarkers. The tests of antagonism were performed in PDA medium inoculating Trichoderma species and other microorganisms isolated. The mean radial growth rate was determined by measuring the diameter of the expanding colonies from the third day to the end of the experiment. The Inhibition Degree was calculated on the seventh day and the Antagonist Index was calculated on the tenth day. All the assays were repeated in triplicate. As a result, 77.78% of pathogenic strains was invaded and reduced by 75% or more by different Trichoderma species. Our results demonstrate the potential of Trichoderma species as biological control agents.