Impact of certain endophytic fungi as biocontrol agents against sesame wilt disease

This study was conducted to evaluate the ability of some endophytic fungi, as biocontrol agents against sesame wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. sesame. Eleven fungal species belong to genus Fusarium was isolated from different localities in Sohag and Assiut governorates. All isolated species proved to be pathogenic on Giza-32 sesame cultivar. Twelve endophytic fungi isolates were isolated from some parts of various plants. The endophytic fungi isolates were tested for antagonistic activity by the dual culture and culture filtrate techniques. All endophytic fungal isolates were showed antagonistic activity againstthe causal pathogen in vitro. The endophytic Aspergillus niger was more antagonistic than other tested isolates toward the causal pathogenfollowed by A. clavatus, Penicillium chrysogenum and P. crustosum. All the tested fungal culture filtrates (FCF) were significantly affected the growth of the causal pathogen. FCF of Aspergillus terreusisolate at 20 % concentration displayed the greatest inhibitory action to the pathogen mycelia growth. Single application with endophytic fungi or combined with Trichoderma sp. were significantly deceased the disease severity (%) and increased the plant growth parameters such as shoot length, shoot weight, root weight and number of pods.