ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF LACTOCOCCUS LACTIS AGAINST ANTHRACNOSE PATHOGEN, COLLETOTRICHUM CAPSICI OF CHILLI

Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum capsici, has impeded output in major chilli -growing regions, resulting in yield losses of 10 to 25%. Our previous In vitro study demonstrated that Lactic acid bacteria of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis had potential to inhibit C. capsici. Thus, this study aimed to investigate efficacy of L. lactis subsp. lactis, against C. capsici in three chilli varieties: Kulai chilli (Capsicum annuum var. kulai, Sakata 469), Hot chilli pepper (Capsicum annuum var. longum), and Bird's eye chilli (Capsicum frutescens L.) under glasshouse conditions. At the maturity index of 7, the wounded fruits were sprayed with sterilized distilled water (negative control), mancozeb (positive control), and Lc. lactis subsp. lactis solution. The fruits were then infected with spore suspension of C. capsici at 1 x 10(8) spores/ml one day after treatment. After 7 days of treatment, the lesion area of treated and non -treated (negative control) C. annum var. kulai fruits did not differ significantly (p>0.05), whereas the lesion area of C. annum var. longum fruits treated with Lc. lactis was twice as small as that of non -treated fruits. C annum var. longum showed no significant difference (p>0.05) in chroma, hue angle, lightness, fruit firmness, and total soluble solid between treated and non -treated fruits. There was no need to apply Lc. lactis subsp. lactis treatment to inhibit C. capsici in C. frutescens because it was tolerant to C. capsici infection. This finding implies that Lc. lactis subsp. lactis has the ability to serve as an antifungal agent against C. capsici in C annum var. longum without affecting physico-chemical properties of the fruits.