Comparison of compost, PGPR, and AMF in the biological control of tomato Fusarium wilt disease

Soil-borne fungal infections reduce yields, and result in severe economic losses by destroying the root, stem, and vascular components of many plants. For disease management that is efficient, inexpensive, and has no adverse effects on the environment, the use of biocontrol materials is crucial. In this study, three different biocontrol agents were evaluated for their ability to reduce the stress that Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (FOL) causes in tomato plants. These agents included compost made from locally accessible green wastes, a strain of bacteria (Bacillus subtilis strain ®Serenade), and arbuscular mychorrizal fungi (®Mikostar). Using correlation and PCA analysis, the effects of these agents on FOL disease were further linked to nutrient intake, physicochemical properties of plants, and the rhizosphere. Five different applications were used in the experiment, which was carried out in controlled conditions utilizing a completely random experimental design: pathogen-inoculated positive control (A), non-inoculated negative control (B), A + compost (C), A + AMF (D), and A + Bacillus subtilis (E). There were statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between groups in terms of the indicators of plant disease as well as the other parameters studied, according to ANOVA-Tukey analysis. Compost proved to be the most effective treatment among the three materials evaluated, reducing disease severity by up to 100%, followed by AMF (36.4%) and Bacteria (34.1%). The LAI, shoot fresh and dry weight, SPAD values, plant nutrient contents (N, Ca, Mg, Mn), and parameters assessed in the rhizosphere (B, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Dehydrogenase, and CO2 respiration) were the highest in pots treated with compost, and all had statistically significant negative correlations with disease severity (p < 0.05). The results show that compost made from local green waste could be effective in reducing tomato FOL disease.