Biocontrol of Macrophomina phaseolina Using Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Strains in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.)

The fungus Macrophomina phaseolina is the causal agent of charcoal rot in many crops, such as strawberries and beans. Symptoms include stem root chlorotic foliage. This disease’s management complicated because pathogen forms resistant microsclerotia. work aimed to obtain bacterial isolates for biocontrol M. arid regions. Two strains that grew well under low pH high salinity, named BsA3MX BsC11MX, were isolated identified B. amyloliquefaciens, based on their morphology analysis 16S ribosomal RNA. Both inhibited up 66.8% vitro through combined action volatile diffusible compounds. Furthermore, they produce siderophores indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), have ACC-deaminase activity, solubilize phosphate zinc, decrease microsclerotia germination. Moreover, greenhouse assays using cowpea plants (Vigna unguiculata L.), strain reduced lesions caused by induced a significant increase foliage biomass. Overall, these results suggest amyloliquefaciens BsC11MX can be used biological control agents against zones.