Selective accumulation of Trichoderma species in soils suppressive to radish damping-off disease after repeated inoculations with Rhizoctonia solani, binucleate Rhizoctonia and Sclerotium rolfsii

Artificial suppression of radish damping-off disease was induced by repeated soil inoculations with Rhizoctonia solani, binucleate Rhizoctonia (BNR) and Sclerotium rolfsii in pot systems. Soils repeatedly inoculated with R. solani and BNR showed suppressive to disease caused by R. solani and S. rolfsii, while soils repeatedly inoculated with S. rolfsii were suppressive to disease caused by S. rolfsii but not by R. solani. Species of Trichoderma were consistently isolated from soils repeatedly inoculated with R. solani, BNR and S. rolfsii. These Trichoderma spp. accumulated selectively in relation to the fungal species that was repeatedly added to the soils. The ratios of the frequencies of T. viride, T. harzianum and T. hamatum were 5:2:2 and 8:5:2 in soils repeatedly inoculated with R. solani and BNR, respectively. In S. rolfsii- inoculated soils, T. koningii was predominantly isolated. T. viride, T. harzianum and T. hamatum isolates obtained from either R. solani or BNR after repeated additions to the soils suppressed radish damping-off disease caused after challenge inoculations with R. solani or S. rolfsii. Among the Trichoderma species, T. viride consistently yielded high levels of suppression. However, isolates of T. koningii obtained from S. rolfsii-infested soils suppressed disease caused by S. rolfsii but failed to suppress disease caused by R. solani. Generally, the species of Trichoderma accumulated in a selective pattern that was closely related to the species of fungal pathogen used to induce the suppressive soil.