Evaluación del potencial biocontrolador de hongos asexuales aislados de plantas de banano (Musa SPP. L.) frente a nematodos formadores de agallas del género Meloidogyne SPP

Abstract

The present study investigated the biotechnological potential of fungal species isolated from banana (Musa spp. L.) soil infested by Meloidogyne spp. for the biological control of plant pathogenic pests. The objective was to identify the isolated asexual fungi and evaluate the efficacy of their trapping mechanisms on plant-parasitic nematodes. Four strains of nematophagous fungi belonging to the species Arthrobotrys thaumasia (HN20, HN21, HN24, HN25) were identified. Among these, strain HN20 showed the highest effectiveness with 75% mortality in 4 days, followed by HN21, HN24, and HN25, the latter achieving an antagonistic effect of 57%, all under the same in vitro conditions. The results did not show a significant difference among the studied strains independently; however, significant differences existed between the individual treatment and control of HN20 and HN21. Therefore, some variability is observed among the isolated strains, and in turn, there is considerable functional diversity within A. thaumasia depending on the geographical location from which it was isolated. This research promotes scientific development and the understanding of soil's functional biodiversity, providing concrete tools to improve agricultural crop health, reduce reliance on chemical inputs, and foster sustainable agriculture.