Evaluation of potential biocontrol agents against Claviceps africana in vitro and in vivo |
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| Authors: | S A Bhuiyan M J Ryley † V J Galea D Tay |
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| Institution: | School of Agriculture and Horticulture, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland 4343;;Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service, Brisbane International Airport, Queensland 4007;;Agency for Food and Fibre Sciences, Queensland Department of Primary Industries, PO Box 102, Toowoomba, Queensland 4350, Australia;and;Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA; E-mail: |
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| Abstract: | Undiluted culture filtrates of two commercial products of Trichoderma spp., Trichopel and Trichoflow, and two isolates of Penicillium citrinum completely inhibited the conidial germination of macroconidia of Claviceps africana , the cause of ergot or sugary disease of sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor ) in vitro . Similarly, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cepacia completely inhibited macroconidial germination, with the former being more effective at high dilutions. In contrast, these bacterial isolates failed to inhibit infection in vivo in glasshouse tests with ergot-inoculated sorghum, but all fungal biocontrol agents (including an isolate of Epicoccum nigrum ) reduced the severity of disease (percentage of infected spikelets per panicle), in some cases completely inhibiting the development of ergot. In a second glasshouse trial, optimum control was achieved when the biocontrol agents were applied 3–7 days before inoculation with conidia of C. africana . |
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| Keywords: | biological control agents ergot sorghum sugary disease |
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