Inoculation of Agave tequilana bulbils with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: effect on growth and biocontrol against Fusarium oxysporum

The use of microorganisms has been an alternative to promote the growth and biocontrol of pests and diseases in different crops and agave. In this work, the inoculation of Agave tequilana bulbils with different arbuscular mycorrhizae on the growth and control of wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum was studied. In the greenhouse, Agave bulbils were inoculated with the native "Barranca de las Nueces" consortium, a commercial inoculum of Rhizofagus spores and a control without mycorrhiza. After four months of mycorrhization, there was a 31 % increase in fresh biomass and 61 % increase in height of mycorrhizal bulbils with respect to the non-mycorrhizal treatment; in addition, there was a 28 % increase in mycorrhizal colonization in the mycorrhizal treatments. At 120 days after mycorrhization, one group of plants was infected with Fusarium oxysporum and 100 days later, growth and disease control were recorded. The results showed only significant effect of mycorrhization on bulbil growth and those with the commercial inoculum showed the highest growth. Regarding control against Fusarium oxysporum, all infected plants showed a medium to severe level according to the scale generated. The results showed a promotion of bulbil growth by mycorrhization; however, it was not possible to demonstrate any type of control against the disease, at least at the foliar level. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi promote the growth of agave bulbils and could reduce disease damage in this species.