Potential Biocontrol Agents Diversity for Coffee Leaf Rust <i>Hemileiavastatrix </i>from Southwesten Ethiopia

Coffee leaf rust (CLR), caused by Hemileiavastatrixis the main coffee disease, occurring in producing countries worldwide. Effective management of CL Rintegrated approch including development resistant varieties, cultural management, biocontrol and chemicals. Considering both potential source bioagents this ecological niche possibility practical uses as a tool to be deployed against rust. White colourmycoparasitic growth is often observed on H. vastatrixpustules. The common report complex “white colony forming-taxa” which has been promptly labeled Verticilliumsp., Lecanicilliumsp. or, at supposedly more precise level, Verticilliumlecanii. Taxonomic information about such fungi lacking Ethiopia. In order investigate identity mycoparasites vastatrixand obtain agents for pathogen coffee, survey fungicolous associated with was conducted major areas One hundred ten different mycoparasite isolates from vastatrixpustules have captured characterized. identified belonging twelve genera: Akanthomyces, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Gonatophragmium, Lecanicillium, Ochroconis, Paraphaeosphaeria, Phoma, Pleurodesmospora, Sarcopodiumand Simplicillium. Biological control CLR remains promising future. Nevertheless, without firm taxonomic knowledge aid modern tools, rapid identification remain bottleneck. Therefore, morphological characterization these should supported appropriate molecular tools phylogenic tree approach. Although very little known mycoparasites, work provide piece informationaboutpotential biocontrolagents deserving attention plant pathologists related scientists exploiting their service fight CLR.