Authors:
M. Harba* and M. Jawhar
Volume 28, Issue 4;
Pages: 330-333; 2022
ISSN: 2069-0053 (print) (former ISSN: 1453-1399), Agroprint;
ISSN (online): 2068-9551
Common root rot (CRR) is a devastating soil-borne fungal disease caused by Cochliobolus sativus. In recent years, some antifungal bacteria have been applied for biocontrol of pathogenic fungi. The present work was carried out to study the potential of Bacillus atrophaeus SYR 15b for the biocontrol of CRR by comparing plots with and without artificial inoculation under field experimental conditions. The universal susceptible barley genotype WI2291 was used, and a 0-5 scale based on the percentage of infected subcrown internodes (SCIs) surface was applied. The data showed that B. atrophaeus SYR 15b strain had a significant (P<0.001) antagonistic activity against the C. sativus in vitro (zone of inhibition was 67.3 mm), and in field where the percentage of infected SCIs averaged 26.66%, compared to the untreated controls (62.98%). Hence, the level of infection for Bacillus treatments was reduced by 60% compared to controls. In view of these, we can consider that B. atrophaeus SYR 15b strain is a promising natural biocontrol agent that could be used against CRR of barley.