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Uniting the Role of Entomopathogenic Fungi against Rhizoctonia solani JG Kühn, the Causal Agent of Cucumber Damping-Off and Root Rot Diseases

Abdelhak Rhouma1, Lobna Hajji-Hedfi1,*, Nahla Alsayd Bouqellah2,*, Pravin Babasaheb Khaire3, Samar Dali1, Omaima Bargougui1, Amira Khlif1, Laith Khalil Tawfeeq Al-Ani4

1 Research Laboratory of Agricultural Production Systems and Sustainable Development (LR03AGR02), Carthage University, Regional Centre of Agricultural Research of Sidi Bouzid, CRRA, Sidi Bouzid, 9100, Tunisia
2 Science College, Biology Department, Taibah University, Almadina, 42317, Saudi Arabia
3 Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology, Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, 413722, Maharashtra, India
4 School of Biology Science, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, 11800, Malaysia

* Corresponding Authors: Lobna Hajji-Hedfi. Email: email,email; Nahla Alsayd Bouqellah. Email: email

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2024, 93(11), 2857-2881. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2024.057591

Abstract

Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium spp. are entomopathogenic fungi with potential applications beyond insect pest control, including plant disease suppression, plant growth promotion, and rhizosphere colonization. This study investigated the plant growth-promoting characteristics and extracellular enzyme activities of Metarhizium spp. and B. bassiana in relation to phytopathogen interactions and plant growth. Additionally, the efficacy of these fungi in mitigating damping-off and root rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani on cucumber plants was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Results indicate that B. bassiana and M. anisopliae produce indole-3-acetic acid, hydrocyanic acid, and hydrolytic enzymes. Seed treatment with these fungi significantly reduced disease severity (3.85%–1.86%, respectively) and enhanced germination parameters [germination percentage (85.33%–86%, respectively), germination index (10.67–12.29, respectively), seedling length vigor index (86.41–109.44, respectively), and seedling weight vigor index (30.24–37.57, respectively)] compared to the control positive. Both fungi demonstrated high inhibition rates of R. solani mycelial growth (93.90%–90.46%, respectively). Greenhouse trials revealed that preventive treatments using B. bassiana and M. anisopliae increased catalase (104.40–105.52 units/mg protein/min, respectively), (4.58–5.77 units/mg protein/min, respectively), superoxide dismutase (40.65–41.74 units/mg protein/min, respectively), and polyphenol oxidase (0.539–0.559 units/mg protein/min, respectively) activities, as well as total phenolic (2.60–2.65 mg/g, respectively) and total sugar content (2.23–2.16 mg/g, respectively) in cucumber plants. Consequently, disease severity (9.51–6.99%, respectively) was reduced, and plant height (93.76–98.76 cm, respectively) increased compared to the positive control. These findings suggest that B. bassiana and M. anisopliae can enhance plant growth, stimulate plant defense mechanisms, and effectively control damping-off and root rot diseases, making them promising candidates for biological control strategies.

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APA Style
Rhouma, A., Hajji-Hedfi, L., Bouqellah, N.A., Khaire, P.B., Dali, S. et al. (2024). Uniting the role of entomopathogenic fungi against rhizoctonia solani JG kühn, the causal agent of cucumber damping-off and root rot diseases. Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany, 93(11), 2857-2881. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2024.057591
Vancouver Style
Rhouma A, Hajji-Hedfi L, Bouqellah NA, Khaire PB, Dali S, Bargougui O, et al. Uniting the role of entomopathogenic fungi against rhizoctonia solani JG kühn, the causal agent of cucumber damping-off and root rot diseases. Phyton-Int J Exp Bot. 2024;93(11):2857-2881 https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2024.057591
IEEE Style
A. Rhouma et al., “Uniting the Role of Entomopathogenic Fungi against Rhizoctonia solani JG Kühn, the Causal Agent of Cucumber Damping-Off and Root Rot Diseases,” Phyton-Int. J. Exp. Bot., vol. 93, no. 11, pp. 2857-2881, 2024. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2024.057591



cc Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Tech Science Press.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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