Control of Fusarium wilt disease of Solanum lycopercicum MILL. (Tomato) using Trichoderma asperellum

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum MILL.) is a valuable crop worldwide, its yield still faces significant challenges due to Fusarium wilt disease. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Trichoderma isolated locally in Nigeria to control tomato wilting. Trichoderma asperellum (M23) was isolated from rhizosphere of a healthy maize plant in a local farm at Osun state, Nigeria. while the wilt pathogen, Fusarium verticilliodes (Fv) used was isolated from an infected tomato plant. The fungi Trichoderma and Fusarium were characterized and documented in NCBI based on morphological and molecular methods, with accession numbers MN181574 and MN181570 respectively. Fv exhibited significant infestation in two tomato varieties UC82B and Ibadan local. However, the control group (untreated plants) and those treated with M23 showed no symptoms both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, Fv had negative effects on tomato growth, resulting in reduced plant height, stem girth, leaf number and leaf area. These matrics however, improved in plants that were co-inoculated with M23. Likewise, M23 exhibited significant growth stimulatory effects on the plants against the pathogen in terms of shoot, root and fruit biomass. This study therefore affirms the importance of Trichoderma asperellum both as a biocontrol agent against the wilting pathogen of tomatoes and growth- promoting agent.