Isolation, Identification and In Vitro Test for the Biocontrol Potential of Trichoderma viride on Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Lycopersici

Tomato production in Ethiopia is challenged by many pests and diseases. Fusarium wilt is one of the most important diseases of tomato affecting its productivity.

Tomato tissue and soil samples were collected from tomato farmlands around Aksum town to isolate and identify pathogenic Fusarium species and Trichoderma species with biocontrol efficacy. Samples were processed in the Aksum University Biotechnology laboratory following standard procedures.

Eight Fusarium and five Trichoderma isolates were obtained. Six of the Fusarium isolates were identified as Fusarium oxysporum, whereas the remaining two were Fusarium equiseti and Fusarium circinatum. Detached leaf bioassay of the F. oxysporum on tomato leaves showed leaf lesion on the tomato variety, Melka oda. The isolated Trichoderma strains were screened for biocontrol potential against virulent F. oxysporum in vitro. The Trichoderma isolate showing the highest biocontrol efficacy against the virulent Fusarium was morphologically identified as Trichoderma viride. in vitro F. oxysporum-T. viride dual culture assay demonstrated that T. viride inhibits the growth of F. oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici with 76.94% growth inhibition.

Fusarium oxysporum is prevalent in tomato growing farmlands covered in this study. T. viride identified in this study is an effective biocontrol agent for the identified F. oxysporum fsp. lycopersici in vitro.