Antagonism of Choiromyces aboriginum Mü1w1c6, an endophytic fungus isolated from common reed against phytopathogenic fungi and its potential for biocontrol
Abstract:Choiromyces aboriginum Mü1w1c6 is an endophytic fungus isolated from reed with antifungal activities. The interactions between C.aboriginum Mü1w1c6 and the phytopathogenic fungi or host plant cucumber have been investigated by dual culture experiment on PDA plates and observed by light and electron microscopy, as well as antagonistic activity assessed in plant tests. Dual culture experiment indicated high competition of space and nutrition. Inhibition of mycelial growth is more than 60%, and being the most aggressive for Rhizoctonia solani, exerting a total inhibition 100%. Microscopic observation showed C.aboriginum Mü1w1c6 is able to parasitize many phytopathogenic fungi. Furthermore, C.aboriginum Mü1w1c6 can successfully colonize in the root of cucumber seedlings. Pre-inoculation of C.aboriginum Mü1w1c6 can significantly hinder the infection and colonization of the phytopathogenic Pythium aphanidermatum in the root of cucumber seedlings. At the same time, it is capable to protect cucumber seedlings from damping-off caused by P.aphanidermatum under greenhouse conditions, with biocontrol efficacy of 44.29% for inoculating once and 88.49% for twice. The strain C.aboriginum Mü1w1c6 shows a wide rang antifungal activity against a lot of phytopathogenic fungi, and it has potential for bio- control on Pythium damping-off of cucumber.