Research article

EVALUATION OF THE EFFICIENCY OF BOKASHI BIOFERTILIZER AND SOME BIOLOGICAL AGENTS AGAINST THE TWO PATHOGENIC FUNGI FUSARIUM SOLANI AND RHIZOCTONIA SOLANI CAUSING FIG ROOT ROT DISEASE

Wegdan Reiadh Kadhim and Ahed A. H. Matloob*

Online First: November 30, 2022


The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of the Bokashi biofertilizer and some biological factors in control of fig root rot disease. A field survey was conducted in several orchids in three Iraqi Provinces Karbala, Babylon, and Baghdad, respectively. The results showed that the presence of fig root rot disease in all orchids covered by the survey with percentages of disease incidence ranging between 40-90%. It was found also presence two fungi accompanying with the symptomatic root of fig trees. Fusarium solani was the most frequent pathogenic fungus, followed by Rhizoctonia solani. Furthermore, the results revealed that all tested fungi isolates were pathogenic. Additionally, the findings of the field experiment proved the effectiveness of the two biological factors Penicillium cyclopium and Trichoderma harzianum and bokashi biofertilizer against disease pathogens. The treatment of interaction among the bioagents P.cyclopiu and T.harzianum , and bokashi bio-fertilizer outperformed the rest of the tested treatments. This was by causing a significant reduction in the root rot incidence and severity caused by the two pathogenic fungi R.solani and F.solani. As well as, these biological treatments led to achieve a significant increase in the growth parameters that included plant height and the wet and dry weight of the foliage compared to the control treatment.

Keywords

Penicillium cyclopium, Trichoderma harzianum, bokashi biofertilizer, Fig, Root rot diseases.