Exploring the Effects of Trichoderma virens Biofungicide on Carrot Cavity Spot and Soil Fungal Community Dynamics

Carrot cavity spot (CCS) has conventionally been managed with fungicides. However, fungicide resistance, their potential risks to human health and the environment, and the increasing demand for organic produce necessitate the exploration of biofungicides as alternatives. In this study, we evaluated...

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Main Authors: Setu Bazie Tagele, Emma W. Gachomo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: The American Phytopathological Society 2024-11-01
Series:Phytobiomes Journal
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Online Access:https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/PBIOMES-12-23-0135-R
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author Setu Bazie Tagele
Emma W. Gachomo
author_facet Setu Bazie Tagele
Emma W. Gachomo
author_sort Setu Bazie Tagele
collection DOAJ
description Carrot cavity spot (CCS) has conventionally been managed with fungicides. However, fungicide resistance, their potential risks to human health and the environment, and the increasing demand for organic produce necessitate the exploration of biofungicides as alternatives. In this study, we evaluated varying concentrations of SoilGard (Certis USA, Columbia, MD), a Trichoderma virens-based biofungicide, for efficacy against different CCS-causing Pythium species in vitro. Additionally, its effects on taxonomic and functional diversities of soil fungal communities were studied in vivo in the greenhouse. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting SoilGard's effectiveness against CCS, with emphasis on its potential as an alternative for fungicide-resistant Pythium isolates. Our in vitro study revealed that SoilGard efficacy was significantly dose-dependent and isolate-specific, thus highlighting the importance of selecting its application rate and the target isolate. Analysis of soil fungal communities using Illumina MiSeq sequencing revealed that SoilGard exerted a significant, albeit temporary, effect on the fungal community structure. It negatively impacted co-occurrence network complexity and alpha diversity in carrot-cultivated soil, whereas bare soil communities remained largely unaffected, thus explaining why preplant applications may yield better results. Our study showed that carrot cultivation without SoilGard enhanced fungal diversity, which was more pronounced late in the season, possibly due to carrot root-associated exudates. Our study sheds light on how complex interactions within soil fungal communities can be impacted by the application of beneficial/pathogenic microbes.
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spelling doaj-art-3a28410bb88e488abb10e9125bbf54e12025-08-20T02:03:15ZengThe American Phytopathological SocietyPhytobiomes Journal2471-29062024-11-018454055510.1094/PBIOMES-12-23-0135-RExploring the Effects of Trichoderma virens Biofungicide on Carrot Cavity Spot and Soil Fungal Community DynamicsSetu Bazie Tagele0Emma W. Gachomo1Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92507Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92507Carrot cavity spot (CCS) has conventionally been managed with fungicides. However, fungicide resistance, their potential risks to human health and the environment, and the increasing demand for organic produce necessitate the exploration of biofungicides as alternatives. In this study, we evaluated varying concentrations of SoilGard (Certis USA, Columbia, MD), a Trichoderma virens-based biofungicide, for efficacy against different CCS-causing Pythium species in vitro. Additionally, its effects on taxonomic and functional diversities of soil fungal communities were studied in vivo in the greenhouse. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting SoilGard's effectiveness against CCS, with emphasis on its potential as an alternative for fungicide-resistant Pythium isolates. Our in vitro study revealed that SoilGard efficacy was significantly dose-dependent and isolate-specific, thus highlighting the importance of selecting its application rate and the target isolate. Analysis of soil fungal communities using Illumina MiSeq sequencing revealed that SoilGard exerted a significant, albeit temporary, effect on the fungal community structure. It negatively impacted co-occurrence network complexity and alpha diversity in carrot-cultivated soil, whereas bare soil communities remained largely unaffected, thus explaining why preplant applications may yield better results. Our study showed that carrot cultivation without SoilGard enhanced fungal diversity, which was more pronounced late in the season, possibly due to carrot root-associated exudates. Our study sheds light on how complex interactions within soil fungal communities can be impacted by the application of beneficial/pathogenic microbes.https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/PBIOMES-12-23-0135-Rco-occurrence networkIllumina MiSeqmetabolic activitiesSoilGard 12Gtaxonomic and functional diversity
spellingShingle Setu Bazie Tagele
Emma W. Gachomo
Exploring the Effects of Trichoderma virens Biofungicide on Carrot Cavity Spot and Soil Fungal Community Dynamics
Phytobiomes Journal
co-occurrence network
Illumina MiSeq
metabolic activities
SoilGard 12G
taxonomic and functional diversity
title Exploring the Effects of Trichoderma virens Biofungicide on Carrot Cavity Spot and Soil Fungal Community Dynamics
title_full Exploring the Effects of Trichoderma virens Biofungicide on Carrot Cavity Spot and Soil Fungal Community Dynamics
title_fullStr Exploring the Effects of Trichoderma virens Biofungicide on Carrot Cavity Spot and Soil Fungal Community Dynamics
title_full_unstemmed Exploring the Effects of Trichoderma virens Biofungicide on Carrot Cavity Spot and Soil Fungal Community Dynamics
title_short Exploring the Effects of Trichoderma virens Biofungicide on Carrot Cavity Spot and Soil Fungal Community Dynamics
title_sort exploring the effects of trichoderma virens biofungicide on carrot cavity spot and soil fungal community dynamics
topic co-occurrence network
Illumina MiSeq
metabolic activities
SoilGard 12G
taxonomic and functional diversity
url https://apsjournals.apsnet.org/doi/10.1094/PBIOMES-12-23-0135-R
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