Polyculture increases the diversity of endophytic fungi in the root tissue and rhizosphere and suppresses the colonization of fusarium pathogens in chili plants.

Abstract Diversity of endophytic fungi in root tissue and rhizosphere through exudate compounds produced by roots, colonizing and forming defenses against the soil-borne pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. The research aims to determine the colonization and distribution of endophytic microbes in chili plants in polyculture patterns. The research used a randomized block design with three treatments. the first pattern is corn-chili polyculture (CIM), the second pattern is corn-chili polyculture (CIS), and control monoculture (CIMo). Each treatment was repeated 6 times. Sampling the rhizosphere and plant root tissue. In the vegetative and generative phases of polyculture treatment, endophytes colonized 32% and 46% of the root tissue. Monoculture control, 32% and 20% in root tissue, respectively. FOC colonies are not found in the root tissue of polyculture plants in the vegetative or generative phases. In control monoculture, FOC pathogen colonies were 8% and 36%. In the rhizosphere, endophyte colonization was 45% in the polyculture treatment and 27% in the nomoculture control. Nine endophytes in roots and rhizosphere were isolated and the inhibitory power was 37% to 53%. This data shows that the percentage of endophyte colonization in the roots and rhizosphere of polyculture is higher than monoculture treatment so it can suppress FOC pathogens.