ISOLATION AND EVALUATION OF Trichoderma SPP. AS A BIOCONTROL AGENT AGAINST LEGUMES SEED BORNE FUNGI FROM EAST DELTA REGION.

Twenty-three isolates of the genus Trichoderma were recovered from 63 soil samples collected from East Delta Region. The isolates percentage to number of soil samples/ Trichoderma isolates in respect to location were 37%, 45%, 30%, 10%, 46%, and 17% in Sharkia, Ismailia, Port Said, Suez, North Sinai, and South Sinai Districts, respectively. Six different morphologically Trichoderma isolates were selected. The average linear growth rate of Trichoderma isolates ranged between 41.78 mm/day for Trichoderma isolate G5 PP1 and 53.41mm/day for isolate G4 IF2. Antagonism activity in vitro between legumes seed borne fungi, i.e. Fusarium solani, Macrophomina phaseolina and Rhizoctonia solani, (isolated from faba bean, beans, and peas) and selected Trichoderma isolates were done. Trichoderma isolates G4 IF2, G2 NA and G4 IF2 caused a remarkable reduction in linear growth of F. solani, M. phaseolina and R. solani, respectively. Trichoderma isolates G5 PP1, G3 IQ2 and G5 PP1 recorded highly survival of faba bean seedlings were sown in infested soil with F. solani, M. phaseolina and R. solani, respectively. Trichoderma isolates G4 IF2 and G1 SA1 recorded highly survival beans seedlings in infested soil with F. solani and M. phaseolina, respectively. While, Trichoderma isolates G2 NA, G4 IF2 and G6 SoR1 were similar of highly survival seedling in infested soil with R. solani. Trichoderma isolates G1 SA1, G2 NA, and G3 IQ2 were identical of highly survival of peas seedlings in infested soil with F. solani. Whereas treatment with Trichoderma isolates G2 NA, G4 IF2, G5 PP1, and G6 SoR1 showed, highly survival seedling. Trichoderma isolates G2 NA showed highly survival peas seedlings in infested soil with R. solani. In general, Trichoderma isolates G2 NA and G5 PP1were the most effective, which had the highest survival plants. This study suggested that, all selected isolates of Trichoderma needed a molecular identification and genetically improvement to obtain one isolate used as highly effective biocontrol agent against most legumes seed born fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]