Interaction between vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal endophyte and Fusarium solani in pepper and eggplants

Abstract

Interaction between vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus sp.and Fusarium solani in pepper and eggplants revealed that mycorrhizal inoculation significantly restricted the spread of the pathogen in host root tissues. Disease incidence was reduced from 21% in pathogen-inoculated to 11% in inoculated mycorrhiza+ pathogen plants at the same time of planting and to 8.7 % in pathogen inoculated 15 days after mycorrhizal inoculation in case of pepper plants. Also, disease incidence was reduced from 12% in pathogen inoculated plant to 5.5 in mycorrhiza+ pathogen inoculated at the same time of planting and to 4.4% in pathogen inoculated 15 days after mycorrhizal inoculation in eggplants. Dual inoculation with mycorrhizal endophyte and the pathogen resulted as well in increased total fresh and dry matter production, root and shoot lengths, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents of such plants as compared to pathogen-inoculated plants.