Biocontrol of Trichoderma spp. and Saccharomyces cerevisiae against Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. Lycopersici in tomato

This study discussed the effectiveness of the Trichoderma species and dry yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae in promoting tomato growth and managing Fusarium wilt disease, and evaluated conditions in vitro and in vivo, with two methods (seed coating and soil treatment). In vitro, the results indicated that Trichoderma virens significantly inhibited the pathogen's mycelial development. Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici mycelium inhibition was more effective compared to T. harzianum (19.03 %), T. asperellum (21.77 %) and T. virens (44.60 %). In vivo, all species of Trichoderma and yeast also inhibited the development of Fusarium in tomato planting pots as indicated by a reduction in the severity of the disease. T. virens had the lowest disease severity in seed coating (10.22 %), but the highest was T. asperellum (53.33 %). However, the application of S. cerevisiae with Trichoderma mixture of the highest severity of the disease was found with S. cerevisiae and T. harzianum (58.33 %). According to the experimental results, soil treatment with the Trichoderma species together did not give the disease any severity (0), though; T. asperellum had the highest disease severity (25 %). Furthermore, the best result was the application of S. cerevisiae with Trichoderma species in soil treatment and had no disease. From the present in vitro and in vivo comparative studies, it is evident that T. virens was the most efficient antagonist of the species Trichoderma to F. oxysporum. Furthermore, T. harzianum, T. asperellum, and T. virens are capable of controlling pathogen attacks in tomatoes and can be considered an applicable disease control approach. Keywords: Biological control, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Tomato, Trichoderma spp.