Biocontrol Activity of Acremonium strictum BCP Against Botrytis Diseases

Biological control activity of Acremonium strictum BCP, a mycoparasite on Botrytis cinerea, was examined against six plant diseases such as rice blast, rice sheath blight, cucumber gray mold, tomato late blight, wheat leaf rust, and barley powdery mildew in growth chambers. The spore suspension of strain BCP showed strong control activities against five plant diseases except against wheat leaf rust. On the other hand, the culture filtrate of A. strictum BCP was effective in controlling only cucumber gray mold and barley powdery mildew. Further in vivo biocontrol activities of A. strictum BCP against tomato gray mold were investigated under greenhouse conditions. Control efficacy of the fungus on tomato gray mold increased in a concentration-dependent manner. Treatment of more than 1 x 10(6) spores/ml significantly controlled the disease both in tomato seedlings and in adult plants. The high disease control activity was obtained from protective application of the strain BCP, whereas the curative application did not control the disease. Foliar infections of B. cinerea were controlled with 1 x 10(8) spores/ml of A. strictum BCP applied up to 7 days before inoculation. In a commercial greenhouse, application of A. strictum BCP exhibited the similar control efficacy with fungicide procymidone (recommended rate, 500 mu g/ml) against strawberry gray mold. These results indicate that A. strictum BCP could be developed as a biofungicide for Botrytis diseases under greenhouse conditions.