S. MASHEVA1, V. YANKOVA1, D. MARKOVA1, Ts. LAZAROVA1, M. NAYDENOV2, N. TOMLEKOVA1, F. SARSU3 and Ts. DINCHEVA1
1 Maritsa Vegetable Crops Research Institute, BG - 4003 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
2 Agricultural University, BG - 4000 Plovdiv, Bulgaria
3 International Atomic Energy Agency, A-1400 Vienna, Austria
MASHEVA, S., V. YANKOVA, D. MARKOVA, Ts. LAZAROVA, M. NAYDENOV, N. TOMLEKOVA, F. SARSU and Ts. DINCHEVA, 2016. Use of microbioagents to reduce soil pathogens and root-knot nematodes in greenhouse-grown tomatoes. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 22: 91–97
Single-crop greenhouse production of vegetables often results in the accumulation of pathogens and root-knot nematodes in the soil that threaten production. Recent efforts have been focused more efficient, environmentally sustainable and safe alternatives for controlling these pathogens. Pot experiments with tomatoes cv. Belle F1 were conducted in the Maritsa Vegetable Crops Research Institute in Plovdiv under greenhouse conditions. They included bioagents in soil where seedlings were grown with and without compost. Microbial products Bacillus thuringiensis strain Bt1+Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain 2/7A and bionematicide BioAct WG (Paecilomyces lilacinus strain 251) were added at three different stages to reduce root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.). The effects of soil pathogens Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and Pyrenochaeta lycopersiciwere reduced with microbial products B. amyloliquefaciens strain А1 and Trichoderma viride strain T6. The lowest rootgalling rate was recorded in tomatoes grown with compost, both microbial products and bionematicide. The lowest degree of Fusarium wilt and corky root infestation was for trials grown with compost and the bioproduct T. viride. Improved biometrical plant indices were found in trials that used compost. Adding microbioagents in plant-protection schemes is an alternative that can control soil pathogens and root-knot nematodes under greenhouse conditions.