Abstract

REYES-FIGUEROA, Omar et al. Trichoderma species from the cacao agroecosystem with biocontrol potential of Moniliophthora roreri. Rev. Chapingo ser. cienc. for. ambient [online]. 2016, vol.22, n.2, pp.149-163. ISSN 2007-4018.  https://doi.org/10.5154/r.rchscfa.2015.08.036.

Frosty pod rot in cacao (Moniliophthora roreri) is the main limitation on the production of cacao (Theobroma cacao) in Mexico. A sustainable alternative for the control of the disease is the use of the Trichoderma mushroom. The objective of this study was to select isolates that are native to Trichoderma with the best antagonist and physiological in vitro characteristics for the control of M. roreri. For this, 50 isolates of Trichoderma obtained in the cacao agroecosystem were characterized. Mycelial growth and the production of conidia at 25, 30 and 35 °C were considered the physiological variables. Mycoparasitism, antibiosis and potential antagonism were the antagonist variables. Significant differences (P = 0.0001) were found in all evaluated variables. The interval of the optimal temperature for mycelial growth and the production of conidia was 25 to 30 °C. Mycoparasitism varied between 0 and 100 %, and only the isolates of six species showed this characteristic. Antibiosis varied between 6.8 and 55.5 % and potential antagonism varied from 3.4 to 69.0 %. Trichoderma virens (TTC017) and T. harzianum (TTC090, TTC039, TTC073) showed the best potential in vitro biocontrol, so they are promising strains for future investigations on biological control of cacao moniliasis.

Keywords : Frosty pod rot in cacao; biological control; Theobroma cacao; Mycoparasitism.