Abstract

The aim of this work was to determine, in vitro, the antagonistic effectiveness of 60 strains of Bacillus thuringiensis against damping-off and root and stem rot caused by Rhizoctonia solani. The strains were obtained from the International Collection of Entomopathogenic Bacillus at the FCB-UANL. During the in vitro dual culture assay only 16 of the strains displayed an inhibitory effect. Six strains were chosen to be screened simultaneously by volatile antibiotics, thermostability and seedling assay. In the volatile antibiotics assay, the strains GM-11 and GM-121 showed the best inhibitory effect over R. solani growth. None of the strains showed an efficient antagonistic effect during the thermoestability assay. In seedling assay, majority of the antagonistic isolates, GM-23, GM-11and GM-121, were effective in the reduction of R. solani infection. In addition, GM-23 increased the length of pepper seedlings.  These results suggest that the B. thuringiensis strains studied have an excellent potential to be used as bio-control agents of R. solani in chili pepper.

Key words: Antagonist, biological control, damping-off, Rhizoctonia solani.