Antagonism of Trichoderma asperellum against Phytophthora megakarya and its potential to promote cacao growth and induce biochemical defence

ABSTRACTThis work aimed to assess the antagonism effects of four different Trichoderma asperellum isolates against Phytophthora megakarya and their ability to enhance cacao growth and biochemical defence. Results showed that In paired culture, all the isolates of T. asperellum used were antagonistic to P. megakarya by means of mycoparasitism. In pot experiments, leaf number, plant height, shoots and root dry matter were significantly increased by T. asperellum. Similarly, chlorophyll rate, P uptake and acid phosphatase activities were also increased. These antagonists reduced significantly the effects of P. megakarya in the leaves of cacao plants. Amino acid and phenolic components content increased in either healthy or infected leaves from cacao plants inoculated with T. asperellum. There was negative correlation between both phenolic compounds and disease severity and amino acids and disease severity. This suggests that these compounds are involved in disease resistance. In fact, the induction of specif...