Endophytic Non-Pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum -Derived Dual Benefit for Nematode Management and Improved Banana ( Musa spp.) Productivity

James Kisaakye, Hendrika Fourie, Solveig Haukeland, Joseph Kisitu, Solomy Nakimera, Laura Cortada, Sevgan Subramanian and Danny Coyne
Additional contact information
James Kisaakye: International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology ( icipe ), P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Hendrika Fourie: Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
Solveig Haukeland: International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology ( icipe ), P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Joseph Kisitu: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), P.O. Box 7878, Kampala 10102, Uganda
Solomy Nakimera: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), P.O. Box 7878, Kampala 10102, Uganda
Laura Cortada: icipe Campus, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Sevgan Subramanian: International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology ( icipe ), P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Danny Coyne: icipe Campus, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi 00100, Kenya

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 2, 1-17

Abstract: The banana weevil ( Cosmopolites sordidus ) and the burrowing nematode Radopholus similis represent two of the most important pests of bananas. Previously, colonization of banana plants by the non-pathogenic Fusarium oxysporum (isolate V5w2) and the entomopathogenic Beauveria bassiana (isolate WA) have been shown to increase host resistance to various banana pests and diseases. However, there is limited data on how the combined inoculation of these isolates would affect field performance of bananas. In this study, the fungal endophytes were inoculated separately and in combination. Tissue cultured plantlets of cooking banana cultivar Mbwazirume and dessert banana cultivar Grande Naine were inoculated by root drenching with a suspension of 1.0 × 10 7 spores mL −1 of the endophytes on three occasions, separated 4 weeks apart, before transplanting into the field. Each plantlet was further inoculated with 1800 nematodes, composed primarily of R. similis . Inoculation of banana plants with the fungal endophytes significantly reduced nematode densities by >34%. Similarly, plant toppling was lower in the endophyte-enhanced plants (<16.5%) compared with the control (23.3%). We also observed improved yield of the first crop cycle in the endophyte-enhanced plants, which yielded >11 t ha −1 year −1 versus 9 t ha −1 year −1 achieved in the non-inoculated plants. These findings demonstrate the benefits of fungal endophytes in improving the yield of both cooking and dessert bananas via suppression of nematode densities and nematode-related damage.

Keywords: banana nematodes; biological control; endophytes; microbial antagonists; bio-enhanced plants; Cosmopolites sordidus (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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