Fungal isolates from agroindustrial waste as potential

biocontrol agents Jovicic Petrovic J.¹, Raicevic V.¹, Sivcev B.¹, Kikovic D.², Kljujev I.¹

¹University of Belgrade, Faculty of Agriculture, Belgrade-Zemun

²Faculty of natural sciences, Kosovska Mitrovica

Morphologically different fungi were isolated form: rape –

residue from grape wine production, compost made of sop from

plum brandy production, and waste from tobacco industry –

tobacco dust and waste leaves. Isolation was performed using

serial dilution method on Rose-Bengal selective medium with

streptomycin (Peper et al., 1995).

In vitro essays were accomplished through the method of

paired cultures on Potato dextrose agar medium. Zones of

inhibition, appearance of pigments, density and diameter of test

pathogen colony were observed after 5-7 days, depending on

growth rate of investigated pathogen. Fungi were identified

conventionally according to their macroscopic and microscopic

features.

The analysis of morphological properties of six isolates led to

the identification at the species level :

Isolate G1 – Penicillium paneum

Isolate G2 – Penicillium chrysogenum

Isolate G3 – Aspergillus fumigatus

Isolate 19/5 – Rhizopus oryzae

Isolate 10/5 – Trichoderma longibrachiatum

Isolate A/5 – Aspergillus niger

F2

Rhizoctonia sp. Botrytis

cinerea

Fusarium

oxysporum Pythium sp.

G1 Zones of growth

inhibition (3-

4mm)

Reduced

diameter of

mycelia

- Zones of growth

inhibition (5-

8mm)

G2 Reduced

density of

mycelia

Reduced

diameter of

mycelia

Reduced

diameter and

brighter color of

mycelia

Zones of growth

inhibition (5mm)

G3 - Zones of growth

inhibition (5mm)

Reduced

diameter and

brighter color of

mycelia

Zone of reduced

density of

mycelia (15mm)

19/5 - - - Reduced

diameter of

mycelia

10/5 Reduced

diameter and

density of

mycelia

Reduced

diameter of

mycelia and

zones of growth

inhibition (1mm)

Reduced

diameter of

mycelia

Reduced

diameter of

mycelia

A/5 Reduced

diameter and

density of

mycelia

A/5 produces

yellow pigment

in contact with

B. cinerea

- Zones of growth

inhibition (1mm)

Results and Discussion

Considering the result that 6 isolates of fungi from investigated

agroindustrial waste have some antagonistic effect on at least

one of the phytopatogenic fungi: F. oxysporum, B. cinerea,

Rhizoctonia sp. and Pythium sp., it can be concluded that rape

from grape wine industry and compost form sop from plum

brandy production have some biological potential that could be

used in suppression of some plant phytopathogens.

In the further investigations it is needed to confirm the

identification results by molecular methods. Further in vitro

investigations that are planned are directed towards

understanding the mechanism of antagonistic effect of the

isolates.

ACNOWLEDGEMENTS

This paper is part of the research that has been conducted under the project TR 31080 financed by the Ministry of Science and

Technological dvelopement, Republic of Serbia.

Introduction

The agricultural industry is responsible for the production of

large volumes of residual by-products. It is apparent that new

methods of utilizing agro-residues are needed in order to

achieve sustainable management of agricultural waste.

Agro-waste management is aimed at minimizing waste

production, reducing environmental pollution and enhancing the

recycling capacity of substrates (Cebar, 2006). Benefits of

compost as organic substrate additives in plant cultivation and

suppression of soil borne diseases have been extensively

reviewed by several authors (Hoitink et al., 2001; Noble and

Coventry, 2005). Adding compost to soil improves the physical

and chemical properties of soil and increases the number and

diversity of bacteria and fungi in soil (Stoffella and Kahn, 2001).

Some of those fungal and bacterial species have been

recognized as natural antagonists of fungi that cause plant

diseases.

The aim of this work was isolation of fungi form agroindustrial

waste, and screening for isolates with some antagonistic effect

on Rhizoctonia sp., Bortitys cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum and

Pythium sp., in in vitro conditions.

KEY WORDS: agroindustrial waste, biocontrol agents,

antagonism, fungi

.

Six of the 33 isolates induced some changes in growth of the

tested fungi, including isolates: G1, G2, G3, 19/5, 10/5 and A/5.

Isolates G1, G2 and G3 originate form grape, while isolates

19/5, 10/5 and A/5 from sop from plum brandy production.

The antagonistic properties that were noticed are represented

in Table1.

Picture1: Fungal isolates from grape – residue from grape wine

production

Picture2: Zones of growth inhibition: Botrytis cinerea and G3 isolate

Table1: Results of the dual test assay

Material and Methods