BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF LASIODIPLODIA ROT OF MANGO FRUITS BY YEASTS

Ninety nine yeast isolates were isolated from surface of mango fruits and were tested in vivo in preliminary study for biocontrol potential of Lasiodiplodia rot of mango fruits. According to primary screening, nine isolates were selected to continue the secondary screening using different concentrations of the washed yeast cells in water suspension to study their biocontrol efficacy at 16±1°C. It was found that using washed cells of yeast isolate Mg 147 (Candida multisgemmis) at 1x109, 5x108 and 2x108 CFU/ml produced complete protection for 14 days to wounds of mango fruit inoculated with spore suspension of the fungusLasiodiplodia theobromae 1x105 conidia/ml. Meantime, no lesion developed on the mango fruit treated with the isolates Mg 39 (Pichia guilliermondii strainA) at the highest tested colony forming unit (CFU) levels, i.e. 1x109 and 5x108 CFU/ml. Supernatant of the yeast cultures, tested in secondary screening, did not prevent spore germination of L. theobromae or decay of wounded mango fruit but had inhibitory effect. However, 1-Methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) treatment significantly reduced the infected area mm2 on mango fruit inoculated with L. theobromae (1x105 conidia/ml) during the 14 days of storage at 16±1°C and improved efficacy of isolates Mg147 and Mg39. When applied as combined treatments between 1-MCP and biocontrol agents, no lesion developed on the fruit treated with the isolate Mg 147 at 1x 108 CFU/ml or higher. Meanwhile, no lesion developed on the fruit treated with the isolate Mg 39 at 2x 108 CFU/ml or higher while, the percentages of rot reduction were ranged between 94.1% - 81.3% for concentrations 1x108 and 6.6x107 CFU/ml respectively.