Abstract BACKGROUND Sclerotium rolfsii is a devastating pathogen causing southern blight disease in many crops, including pepper. Currently, this disease is managed by laborious application of chemical fungicides, raising concerns regarding environmental and human health. Furthermore, the practical application of biological control agents is hindered by their instability. The objective of this study was to screen novel Trichoderma strains with potential as biological control agents and to develop formulations that enhance their persistence against pepper southern blight. RESULTS In this study, a Trichoderma afroharzianum strain YZ‐1 exhibiting significant antifungal activity against S. rolfsii was identified. It had the ability to directly inhibit the growth of plant pathogens through mycoparasitism, and inhibit acid production and sclerotia germination. Additionally, YZ‐1 demonstrated growth‐promoting properties. Microencapsulation of YZ‐1 using montmorillonite‐sodium alginate produced spherical microcapsules that enhanced protection against UV radiation, enhanced storage stability, enabled controlled release and preserved inhibitory activity. Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometer analysis indicated interactions between YZ‐1 and the microcapsules. The microencapsulated Trichoderma strain exhibited improved control of S. rolfsii , achieving a biocontrol efficacy of 84.90% after 21 days and prolonged persistence in pepper plant roots. CONCLUSION Our results revealed that the T. afroharzianum YZ‐1 and its microcapsules represent a promising option for effective utilization as biopesticides against pepper southern blight. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.
Zhong et al. (2025) studied this question.
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