Antifungal Activity of Some Lactic Acid Bacteria Against Several Soil-borne Fungal Pathogens Isolated from Strawberry Plants

Abstract

Developing as an alternative plant disease control method by using beneficial microorganisms and their metabolites has gained so much importance in recent years. In this study, the possibilities of using microorganisms which have potential antimicrobial effects on controlling soil-borne fungi at strawberry production were investigated. Effects of different lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains on the development of several soil-borne fungi were studied in vitro and in vivo. LAB were screened for antifungal activity by using cell free supernatant against Fusarium sp., Rhizoctonia sp., Macrophomina sp., Botrytis sp., Phtopythium sp., Cylindrocarpon sp. and Pestalotiopsis sp. Cell free supernatant of LAB isolates showed promising antifungal activity. In vitro effective strains of LAB were tested in pot experiments to search their effects on disease development and plant growth. While the antifungal effects of all LAB strains tested in vitro experiments exhibited promising results, in vivo experiments revealed similar effects on different fungi genera.