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First record and preliminary evaluation of Mucor hiemalis as biocontrol agent on inflorescence brown rot incidence of date palm

In Egypt, inflorescence brown rot disease of date plam trees caused by Thielaviopsis paradoxa De Syenes causing high losses of pollen grains and fruits yield productivity. Infection occurs early on spathes even when it still hidden in the leaf bases. White mycelium of pathogenic fungi grows on inflorescence then turned to brown when fungus spores abundant. Isolation trails from diseased spathes showed brown rot, yielded three genus of fungal i.e. Aspergillus niger (25%), Mucor hiemalis (25%) and T. paradoxa (50%). Pathogenicity test by using fungal isolates and male inflorescence of data indicate that, all isolates of T. paradoxa were able to induce brown rot of inflorescence. Isolates of T. paradoxa were differed in pathogenic activity for producing inflorescence brown rot symptom. Also, A. niger isolate could cause slightly decay on inflorescence. Meanwhile, all isolates of M. hiemalis recorded as non pathogenic. In vitro, dual culture technique by using M. hiemalis showed antagonistic properties against T. paradoxa. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study revealed that, pollen grains of date palm are susceptible to infection by T. paradoxa, accompanied by complete lyses and ruptured. SEM examination of inflorescence treated by each of M. hiemalis or/and T. paradoxa showed that M. hiemalis was able to colonisation on inflorescence and reduced colonisation of T. paradoxa on inflorescence and pollen grains. Preliminary evaluation of M. hiemalis as a biocontrol agent showed that, spray of inflorescence with M. hiemalis suspension two days before or after infestation by T. paradoxa were reduced brown rot of inflorescence than the control. Spraying of spathes by M. hiemalis before infestation by pathogen was highly effective in reduction brown rot incidence compared with spraying after infestation. These results help to explain the role of M. hiemalis in the suppression and biological control of T. paradoxa.