Selection of Endophytic Actinomycetes Against Strawberry Anthracnose Disease

Abstract

The objectives of this study are to assess the efficacy of endophytic actinomycetes (EA) in inhibiting mycelial growth of Colletotrichum sp., and strawberry tissue colonization assessment. 29 isolates of anthracnose pathogen isolated from infected strawberry fruit in Samoeng district, Chiang Mai. Isolates of pure fungi were obtained to conduct a pathogenicity test. The most severe isolate was selected for further use in this study. Screening 79 EA isolates to inhibit the mycelium growth of Colletotrichum sp. isolate Co024 with a 4:1 dual culture technique, showed 13 isolates of EA with a greater than 50 percent inhibition rate. The screened isolates were tested for efficacy by the 1:1 dual culture technique. Results show that isolate AND04, AND01, and CINv1 had the highest percentage of inhibiting mycelial growth equal to 88.89, 83.89, and 83.34, respectively. Testing for the colonization ability, the screened EA isolates were reisolated in each part of the strawberry's tissue. Results in all 3 isolates were successfully colonized in the tissue of the strawberry leaf, petiole, and root.