Influence of environmental parameters on the growth of Trichoderma Spp. and its greenhouse evaluation as biocontrol agent against white root rot pathogen Rigidoporus microporus

Abstract

Rubber plantation is known as the major plantation crops in Malaysia. However, rubber tree is prone to attack by various type of diseases with the most serious disease is the white root rot (WRR) caused by Rigidoporus Microporus. This disease can spread easily through the contact with Inocula like Rhizomorphs, infected root, dead stump, or wood debris, causing damage to the tree which can be seen through by discoloration of foliage at the later stage of infection. Biological Control Agents (BCAs) are recommended to replace chemical fungicides as it is less laborious relatively cheap to produce and more environmental friendly. In this study, the main objective was to select the best species among different Trichoderma cultured under different environmental conditions by in vitro method. Secondly, it was to evaluate the efficacy of selected Trichoderma species and its suppression towards WRR pathogen on rubber tree in green house condition. The species of Trichoderma used in this experiment were Trichoderma AsPerellum, T. KoningioPsis, and T. Reesei. They were tested under different environmental factors which were culture media, pH, temperature and light in nt enviro tensity. The Trichoderma species could grow well in pH4.5-5.0, temperature of 20-30c with photoperiod of 12 hours light and 12 hours darkness. Trichoderma Asperellum was chosen to test against WRR pathogen in green house condition as it is a well-known biocontrol in plant pathogen. Result showed that pre-treatment on soil before inoculation of WRR Pathogen into rubber tree seedling was the most effective method in controlling WRR Disease with the delay of symptoms development.