Pathogenicity of Fusarium species, the causative agent of Pokkah boeng sugarcane disease, and the antagonistic effect of Trichoderma afroharzianum on it

Sugarcane is an important commercial product for sugar production in the world. A perennial plant from the cereal family, which is susceptible to various pests and diseases due to the long cultivation period, which affects its production. Pokkah boeng disease caused by Fusarium species is one of the important and developing diseases of sugarcane worldwide. In this research, the pathogenicity of Fusarium species related to this disease, F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum, F. sacchari, F. andiyazi, F. acutatum in sugarcane, with two methods of pathogenicity test of cut stems under laboratory conditions and pathogenicity test in Greenhouse conditions were carried out. To calculate the severity of the disease in different species, the length of the wound area on the canes was measured. The results showed that the intensity of pathogenicity in three species F. verticillioides, F. proliferatum and F. sacchari was higher than other species. In another part, the antagonistic property of the endophytic fungus Trichoderma afroharzianum isolated from healthy sugarcane plants was used for biological control of this disease in greenhouse conditions. The effectiveness of the biocontrol agent was determined by measuring the fusarium index, the length of the wound area and plant growth factors, which indirectly contribute to the reduction of disease damage. The results showed that all the treatments applied with endophytic fungi were successful in reducing the disease and increasing the growth factors of the treated plant compared to the control.