Effect of a fungal pathogen, Trichoderma hamatum, on growth and germination of Ciboria carunculoides under laboratory conditions.

Ciboria carunculoides is one of the major fungal pathogens that attack mulberry fruits and cause huge lose of mulberry production. Many Trichoderma spp. produce a wide variety of toxic and antibiotic metabolites that are active against plant pathogens. This study evaluated the biological control activity of Trichoderma hamatum against C. carunculoides. The results showed that C. carunculoides was not detected on mulberry leaves through out the collection period, whereas C. carunculoides was detected in mulberry fruits. T hamatum spore, fermentation broth and ethylacetate extracts caused high radial growth inhibition and germination inhibition of C. carunculoides, with the inhibition value up to 80% and 90%, respectively. The LC50 of T hamatum ethylacetate extract in radial growth inhibition of C. carunculoides was 778.4 mu g/ml. The use of T hamatum offered a promising, safe and effective alternative to fungicides in treatment against popcorn disease of mulberry.