Wilt caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli is one of the major diseases affecting common bean cultivation. Due to the significant damage caused by this pathogen, rhizobacteria have emerged as a promising alternative for its biological control. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of rhizobacteria to inhibit F. oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli in vitro. The antagonistic effect of 20 bacterial strains was assessed using four distinct methods: the circle technique, dual culture, central streak pairing, and fungal culture over antagonist culture. Strains that exhibited antagonistic activity in at least three of the methods were grouped into a bacterial consortium, which was also tested for inhibitory potential. A completely randomized design with three replicates was used. Evaluations were conducted on the tenth day, including measurements of fungal colony diameter and calculation of the percentage of growth inhibition (PGI). The bacterial strains, both individually and in combination, were effective in inhibiting the mycelial growth of the fungus, particularly in the circle and fungal-over-antagonist culture techniques, highlighting their potential as viable agents for the biological control of F. oxysporum f. sp. phaseoli.
Oliveira et al. (Wed,) studied this question.