Biological control of wheat take-all disease using Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viride

Take-all disease of wheat caused by Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici is one of the important diseases of wheat worldwide. In this study, application of two Trichoderma species on the control of this disease was evaluated under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. The causal agent of disease was isolated from suspected diseased plants in wheat fields of Khorrramabad district, identified according to scientific mycological literatures and its pathogenicity was proven in greenhouse. The mycelial inhibition potential of Trichoderma harzianum and T.viride in dual culture and volatile metabolite effects against the pathogen were tested in vitro. Then, single and combined greenhouse application of the two Trichoderma isolates and triadimenole fungicide for control of take-all disease were investigated using a completely randomized design with 16 treatments and four replications and disease severity and growth indices were recorded and analyzed statistically. In vitro experiments showed that both of the Trichoderma species disintegrated the hypha and inhibited the mycelia growth of G. graminis. Combined application of triadimenole fungicide with the two antagonists, triadimenole, and single application of T. harzianum and T. viride reduced take-all severity by 70.6, 58, 47.06 and 47.06 percent, respectively in greenhouse after 30 days of sowing. Trichoderma biocontrol agent and integration of chemical compounds with antagonists would provide promising strategy for management of wheat talke-all disease.