Activity of rhizobacteria of Jatropha curcas against Fusarium verticillioides and Leptoglossus zonatus

Abstract The center of origin and domestication of Jatropha curcas L. is Mexico. This crop can be affected by several phytopathogenic fungi and insect pests that diminish the Tquality of the seeds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antagonistic and enthomopathogenic activity of rhizospheric bacteria (B. subtilis, B. mojavensis, B. thuringiensis and Lysinibacillus sphaericus) against Fusarium verticillioides and Leptoglossus zonatus. The antagonistic activity of rhizobacteria was evaluated against F. verticillioides by dual culture technique on potato dextrose agar. Moreover, the effect of B. thuringiensis and L. sphaericus was evaluated on the mortality and development of L. zonatus. The results demonstrated that rhizobacteria inhibited the mycelial growth (26 to 55 %) and affected the hyphal morphology of F. verticillioides regardless of the culture medium and cultivation time tested. B. mojavensis(40.4 to 54 %), L. sphaericus (39.6 to 55 %) and B. subtilis (38.5 to 50%) caused the highest percentages of inhibition. On the other hand, B. thuringiensis and L. sphaericus showed no enthomopathogenic activity because they did not affect the mortality or development of L. zonatus.