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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #92978
Title: EVALUATION OF TRICHODERMA VIRENS AS A POTENTIAL BIOCONTROL AGENT OF MONOSPORASCUS CANNONBALLUS IN MUSKMELON

Author
item Bruton, Benny
item Zhang, Jiuxu
item Howell, Charles - Charlie
item MILLER, M. - TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: American Phytopathological Society
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/19/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Monosporascus cannonballus (MC) is the cause of a yield-limiting vine decline in numerous muskmelon production areas with hot semi-arid environments. At present, there are no commercially available cultivars with adequate resistance to the disease. Trichoderma virens (TV) strains were shown to parasitize MC using the cellophane film technique. Antibiosis against MC was also demonstrated with TV strains. In a greenhouse study, muskmelon seed of cv. "Magnum 45" were coated with preparations of TV-6 or TV-4 and planted in sterilized soil infested with MC at 10 CFU/g of soil. After 35 days, TV-6 and TV-4 significantly (P is equal to or less than 0.05) reduced but did not eliminate root rot by MC. Disease severity ratings (based on scale of 1 to 5) were 2.5, 2.5, and 3.7 for TV-6, TV-4 and the non-inoculated control plants, respectively. Both TV-6 and TV-4 were re-isolated from the primary and secondary roots of treated plants.