Effect of temperature on the antagonism between biocontrol agentsand Cylindrocarpon destructans

Abstract: Two in vitro experiments were carried out; the first experiment compared the growthat different temperature of a strain of Cylindrocarpon destructans isolated in Trentino region(Northern Italy) and the second experiment tested the antagonistic activity of several biocontrolagents against C. destructans. C. destructans was plated on potato dextrose agar in the Petridishes and incubated at different temperatures (-1, 4, 20, 23, 25 and 27°C). The growth ofC. destructans was evaluated. In the dual-culture test we verified the activity of five differentbiocontrol agents against C. destructans at 4, 23 and 27°C. The efficacy of the biocontrol agentsin inhibiting pathogen growth was measured 2, 4, 9, 14, 19, 24, 29 days after inoculation. Thepathogen grew at all tested temperatures even if at different speed. Trichoderma atroviride SC1was the most effective antagonist of C. destructans in the dual-culture test at all testedtemperatures.