Agrotechnology

Opportunistic role of Trichoderma harzianum in sustainable crop protection

7^th Global Summit on Agriculture & Horticulture

October 17-19, 2016 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Laila Naher, Tan Soon Guan, Chai Ling Ho, Faridah Abdullah and Umi Kalsom Yusuf

Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, Malaysia
Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Agrotechnol

Abstract:

Statement of the Problems: Ganoderma boninense Pat caused basal stem rot (BSR) disease in oil palm and the disease resulted in great losses in palm oil production. Another fungus Fusarium oxysporum cubense is the most versatile pathogen for wilt disease in several plants while Fusarium wilt in banana has great impact for losses in commercial banana production. Methodology: Both causal pathogens of G. boninense and F. oxysporum have been tested with Trichoderma harzianum to determine the biocontrol mode of T. harzianum against the pathogens. Findings: T. harzianum showed the biocontrol activity with the inhibition rate more than 60% against both G. boninense and F. oxysporum. The mode of biocontrol activity as process of mycoparasitism action is also observed under the scanning electronic microscope. The coiling of Trichoderma on the pathogens or shrinkage mycelium of the pathogen has proven Trichodermaâ??s biocontrol ability. At molecular level only for studies on Ganoderma-oil palm or Ganoderma-oil palm- Trichoderma interactions showed that Trichoderma induced chitinase genes or enzyme in oil palm leaves or roots tissues as well as plant growth was also enhanced in the presence of Trichoderma. Conclusion & Significance: The data from this study showed that T. harzianum successfully manage the interaction between plant-pathogen and pathogen only as well as enhance the defence responses in plant which indicates Trichoderma has good impact for sustainable crop protection.

Biography :

Laila Naher, obtained her PhD in the field of Mycology and Plant Pathology from Faculty of Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia in 2011. Then, she continued as Post-Doctoral fellow at the same University. She joined as a Senior Lecture at Faculty of Agro- Based Industry, Unversiti Malaysia Kelantan in 2014. She teaches the subjects- Postharvest Technology, Plant Disease Management, Molecular Biology, and Crop Protection. Besides teaching, her research field focuses on fundamental aspects of fungal isolation and identification as well as identification of biocontrol agent for management of plant disease and besides that, she works on understanding the gene that involved either as plant defence response or biocontrol process against the pathogen in interactions between plant-pathogenbiocontrol agent and pathogen-biocontrol agent. She has published more than 20 papers in refereed journal, 7 proceedings papers in conference book, including award as best paper, UMK research and innovation 2016, currently, two book chapter under review process.

Email: lailanaher@umk.edu.my