Biocontrol of Fusarium equiseti using chitosan nanoparticles combined with Trichoderma longibrachiatum and Penicillium polonicum

A safe and ecofriendly biocontrol of pathogenic Fusarium equiseti was developed based on chitosan nanoparticles (CNPs) combined with Trichoderma longibrachiatum and Penicillium polonicum. Two strains of F. equiseti which were isolated from wilting tomato plant as well as three antagonistic fungi including Trichoderma longibrachiatum and two strains of Penicillium polonicum were isolated from the surrounding soil. All the isolated pathogenic and antagonistic fungi were identified using genomic DNA sequences. The antifungal activity of the three antagonistic fungi were studied against the two strains of F. equiseti. Also, CNPs which were prepared according to the ionic gelation method using sodium tripolyphosphate anions in acetic acid solution were used to enhance the antifungal activity of the three antagonistic fungi. The results exhibit that, combination of T. longibrachiatum with CNPs and P. polonicum with CNPs achieve high antifungal activity against F. equiseti by an inhibition rate equal to 71.05% and 66.7%, respectively.