Biological control of garlic white and basal rot pathogens in vitro and under field conditions

Garlic white and basal rot are two types of soil-borne diseases fungi harmful to the cultivation of Allium sativum worldwide and in Egypt, caused by Sclerotium cepivorum and Fusarium oxysporum f. Sp. cepae, and Fusarium solani. The effective of Bacillus subtilis, Penicillium janthinellum bioagents fungi and bacteria isolated from healthy garlic plants samples compared with Tebuconazole fungicide in vitro and under field conditions for their ability to inhibit the garlic white and basal rot pathogens radial growth and diseases severity were tested using two varieties of garlic named Baladi and Sids 40. The results showed that Bacillus subtilis and Penicillium janthinellum had antagonistic effect against the pathogens. Whereas, Penicillium janthinellum was the most effective isolated bioagents suppressed the pathogens mycelial growth in vitro, followed by Bacillus subtilis, while used different concentration of Tebuconazole fungicide affected the pathogens growth in vitro as well as showed the highest efficiency of reducing the disease severity under field conditions and significantly increased the length of treated plants.