MOLECULAR CHARACTERIZATION OF Trichoderma spp. WITH BIOCONTROL ABILITY AGAINST FABA BEAN CHOCOLATE SPOT (Botrytis cinerea Pers. ex Fr.)

The use of Trichoderma spp. as a biological control is an important tactic for plant disease management caused by fungi. However, there have been no studies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region of Turkey, particularly on molecular characterization of Trichoderma spp. with biocontrol ability against Botrytis cinerea Pers. ex Fr. The study was conducted to identify the genetic diversity among Trichoderma spp., and assessing the efficacy of these bio-agents against faba bean chocolate spot (caused by Botrytis cinerea) both under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Trichoderma species were isolated from faba bean and field peas’ phylloplane as well as from potato and field peas’ rhizosphere. All bio-agents were identified as T. harzianum, T. atroviride, T. virens and T. longibrachiatum based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS5/ITS4) and translation elongation factor (tef71/tef997) primers. T. harzianum (T1) showed the highest percentage inhibition of radial growths while T. virens (Tv14) and T. longibrachiatum (Tl15) showed the lowest disease severity (37.5%) and area under disease progress curve (65.3%–days), respectively on detached leaf assay. Trichoderma spp. (T2, Tv13 and Tl16) reduced the disease severity by 41.6, 43.2 and 43.1%, respectively under field conditions. Plots sprayed with T. atroviride (Ta6) had the lowest AUDPC (396.5%–days). It is possible to isolate Trichoderma spp. from above plants’ part, and Trichoderma spp. (T2, Tv13 and Tl16) could be further investigated as a promising alternative option to control faba bean chocolate spot caused by B. cinerea.