Environ Exp Biol (2020) 18: 7–13

Antifungal activity of lactic acid bacteria against Fusarium species responsible for tomato crown and root rots

Abstract

Three lactic acid bacteria (LAB) (Lactobacillus delbruckii subsp. bulgaricus, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum and Lactococcus lactis subsp. diacetylactis) were tested for their antagonistic activity to reduce fungal growth of nine isolates of Fusarium species (F. oxysporum, F. redolens and F. solani), agents of tomato crown and root rot, the most destructive disease of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in Algeria. The LAB tested significantly inhibited nine strains of Fusarium spp. on Potato dextrose agar (PDA) and De Man, Rogosa, Sharpe agar (MRSA). Performance of L. lactis subsp. diacetylactis on MRS agar medium was 62.42% inhibition compared to 22.11% inhibition on PDA medium. Overlay assay showed that LAB secreted different metabolites, which inhibited growth of Fusarium spp. Inhibition by L. mesenteroides subsp. dextranicum was between 4.3 and 19.7% after 72 h incubation on PDA medium. Results showed that all LAB used can significantly reduce growth of various phytopathogenic Fusarium species, both by cell cultures and by their secondary metabolites.