Microbial antagonists to Fusarium spp., a causal agent of root and stem rot in melon

Root and stem rot in melon plants, caused by Fusarium spp., is a limiting factor in the production of this crop. The indiscriminate use of fungicides for the control of this disease has caused resistance and environmental pollution in these agricultural areas. An alternative is the use of antagonistic microbial agents such as Trichoderma, Bacillus and Streptomyces, which can contribute to the management of the disease, induce growth and improve crop production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory ability of 10 antagonistic microorganisms against different strains of Fusarium spp. isolated from melon cultivation as a causal agent of root and stem rot in the Paila region of the municipality of Parras de la Fuente, Coahuila. Six strains of the genus Fusarium were isolated from the study area, and based on the molecular study and nucleotide sequences of the ITS1 and ITS4 regions, 97 to 100% identity was found with the species Fusarium oxysporum and F solani, respectively. In in vitro bioassays, Trichoderma asperellum inhibited the growth of Fusarium spp. by up to 74%, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens by 55% and Streptomyces mutabilis by 35%. Microbial agents represent a resource for the biocontrol of root and stem rot in melon cultivation.