Impact of Trichoderma spp. on Soybean Seed Germination and Potential Antagonistic Effect on Sclerotinia sclerotiorum

Abstract

Trichoderma species have been registered as species with important plant growth promoting potential and antagonistic effect against various phytopathogens. Trichoderma isolates originating from different soil types from the Vojvodina region (Serbia) were screened using dual culture test for their antagonistic effect against the pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. All tested isolates had high radial growth inhibition (RGI) factors of the pathogen and high colonization percentage. Growth promoting activity of Trichoderma isolates on soybean seeds was tested under glasshouse conditions. Soybean seeds were coated with suspensions of different Trichoderma isolates and seed germination percentage, root and shoot length were measured. According to data analysed in Statistica 10, using Duncan’s test, there were no significant effects on shoot length among the tested isolates, compared to the control. The four tested Trichoderma isolates showed significant positive effects on germination, root length and vigour index, while two isolates exhibited no significant effect on any of the measured parameters.

Vrste roda Trichoderma su poznate po svom antagonističkom efektu na veliki broj fitopatogenih organizama kao i po stimulativnom efektu za rast biljke. Izolati Trichoderma spp. testirani u ovom istraživanju su izolovani iz različitih tipova zemljišta u Vojvodini (Srbija). Test dvojnih kultura je korišćen za testiranje antagonističkog dejstva izolata na patogena Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Svi testirani izolati su imali visok RGI (faktor inhibicije porasta micelije patogena) i visok procenat kolonizacije patogena. Stimulativni efekat rasta Trichoderma izolata na seme soje je testiran u uslovima staklenika, i sedmog dana su mereni dužina korena, izdanka i klijavost semena tretiranih suspenzijom različitih izolata Trichoderma spp. Svi podaci su analizirani primenom Duncan testa u programu Statistica 10, i ukazuju da nije bilo statistički značajne razlike u dužini izdanaka tretiranih semena i kontrole. Četiri izolata su statistički značajno uticala na povećanje dužine korena, klijavosti i vigor indeksa u odnosu na kontrolu, dok dva izolata nisu statistički značajno uticala ni na jedan od merenih parametara.