Journal of Food Processing & Technology

Investigation of Lecanicillium muscarium as biocontrol agent Oxalis rust

2^nd International Conference on Food Security and Sustainability

June 26-27, 2017 San Diego, USA

Nxumalo Thembani

University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Food Process Technol

Abstract:

The effect of Lecanicillium muscarium on Puccinia oxalidis was investigated. Oxalis is a common edible weed characterized by high concentrations of oxalic acid. Oxalis plants were grown in a greenhouse. The plants were inoculated with urediniospores of P. oxalidis by dusting Oxalis plants with leaves of rust-infected plants. Symptoms appeared after roughly 4-5 days. The biocontrol agent (L. muscarium) occurs routinely in nature where the crops are infected by rust. The biocontrol fungus was isolated at the later stage of P. oxalidis development on the abaxial surface of an Oxalis leaf. Samples of white mycelium of L. muscarium were taken from an infected pustule of P. oxalidis and streaked onto PDA plates, then incubated at 28 oC. From these plates, pure colonies were established. 36 Oxalis plants, each having 3 leaves were inoculated with P. oxalidis. 20 plates containing L. muscarium were placed under UV light to encourage sporulation. The three different concentrations 106, 104 and 102 conidia per ml1- were prepared and each concentration was applied to 36 Oxalis leaves. The growth of L. muscarium over the rust pustules was rated. The concentration of 106 conidia per ml-1 of L. muscarium was more effective at colonizing the rust pustules than the other two concentrations. Lecanicillium muscarium successfully colonized pustules of P. oxalidis and control the pathogen.

Biography :

Nxumalo Thembani is a master’s degree student majoring in Plant Pathology at School of Agriculture, Earth and environmental sciences in the University of KwaZulu-Natal Pietermaritzburg campus. South Africa.

Email: nxumalot42@gmail.com