In vitro Activity of Pseudomonas fluorescens Strains against Fusarium verticillioides, Fusarium subglutinans and Schizophyllum commune, which Cause Diseases in Sugarcane in Côte d'Ivoire

Abstract

Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.) is a key crop for the economy of Côte d'Ivoire. However, domestic production remains insufficient to meet domestic demand, resulting in a sugar deficit for the country. This low productivity is largely due to fungal diseases, which cause considerable economic losses. Whilst several control methods have been used, some pose risks to human health. It is against this backdrop that this study was conducted, the objective of which was to evaluate the in vitro effect of Pseudomonas fluorescens strains against Fusarium verticillioides, Fusarium subglutinans and Schizophyllum commune, which cause diseases in sugarcane in Côte d'Ivoire. To this end, 150 soil samples were collected from the rhizosphere of healthy and diseased sugarcane plants for the isolation and phenotypic and molecular identification of Pseudomonas fluorescens strains. In vitro antifungal tests were then carried out. The results showed that strains of Pseudomonas fluorescens were isolated and identified from the rhizosphere of both healthy and diseased sugarcane plants. In vitro tests showed that 95 per cent of the bacterial strains inhibited the mycelial growth of the three fungal pathogens, with inhibition rates ranging from 40.16 ± 6.9 per cent to 80.65 ± 6.5 per cent. These results suggest that Pseudomonas fluorescens, when tested under field conditions, could be used effectively as a biocontrol agent against fungal diseases in sugarcane crops in Côte d'Ivoire.