Biocontrol of coffee yellow rust (Hemileia vastatrix Berk. & Br.) with Trichoderma sp. endophyte strains

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Giovana Mamani-Huayhua
Betsabe Leon-Ttacca
Luis Alfredo Palao-Iturregui
Yuri Rodrigo Borja-Loza

Abstract

Yellow rust, caused by the fungus Hemileia vastatrix Berk. & Br., is one of the main diseases that limits commercial production and significantly reduces yields of coffee (Coffea arabica L.); fungicides are commonly used to control it, but the use of endophytic microorganisms such as the fungus Trichoderma is a promising alternative. Therefore, the biocontrol capacity of five endophytic Trichoderma sp. strains (TE1, TE2, TE3, TE4, TE5) on yellow rust and their effect on coffee seedling growth was determined at the nursery level. Conidial suspensions (1x107 cfu mL-1) of strains were sprayed on soil and foliage. Plant height (PH); stem diameter (SD); length of main root (LMR); number of leaves (NL); disease incidence and severity; and area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC) were evaluated. The TE-1 treatment was the most efficient in reducing disease incidence (35.8 %) and severity (8.95 %). It also improved plant growth parameters in PH (12.70 cm), SD (2.5 mm), NL (7.6 units), LMR (11.38 cm), as well as AUDPC (56.625 units), compared to the control with values of 96.67, 39.50 %, 10.02 cm, 1.96 mm, 5.06 cm, 4 units and 365.00 units in the evaluated variables, respectively. This strain could be used to improve plant development and protect against coffee yellow rust.

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How to Cite
Mamani-Huayhua, G., Leon-Ttacca, B., Palao-Iturregui, L. A., & Borja-Loza, Y. R. (2022). Biocontrol of coffee yellow rust (Hemileia vastatrix Berk. & Br.) with Trichoderma sp. endophyte strains. Cultivos Tropicales, 42(4), e01. Retrieved from https://ediciones.inca.edu.cu/index.php/ediciones/article/view/1610
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