Combined effects of root-associated entomopathogenic and mycorrhizal fungi on the foliar pathogen Botrytis cinerea in tomato

• Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) reduced foliar disease symptoms in tomato plants. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AMF) only affected plant growth, not disease. Fungal combinations showed functional complementarity for protection and growth. Effects were independent of root colonization pattern. Root inoculation by EPF decreased presence AMF, while AMF was unaffected EPF. Many live intimately associated with plants may benefit or harm the host plant. Improved knowledge such interactions is needed increasing health crop productivity implementation fungal inoculants. Co-inoculations different beneficial offer possibility to understand complex plant–microbe that be functionally complementary improved production protection. Here, we studied individual combined effects arbuscular fungus Funneliformis mosseae three isolates entomopathogenic (EPF), representing Metarhizium brunneum , M. robertsii Beauveria bassiana on against phytopathogen Botrytis cinerea Seedlings ( Solanum lycopersicum L. var. Moneymaker) inoculated substrate alone dual under greenhouse conditions. Inoculation lesion sizes B. leaves, but experimental repetition highest level severity. The F. had no additional effect size In least severity, treatment led limited increase sizes. general, caused an biomass, co-inoculations did some Below-ground between observed, as roots a decrease densities. However, rates presence. study indicated suppressing phytopathogens respectively. it further revealed challenge obtaining consistent results plant–microbe-phytopathogen interactions, which must overcome future inoculants production.