Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is a globally remarkable crop, yet its production is severely
limited by fungal pathogens that cause fruit rots, particularly those caused by Alternaria species. The aims
of this study were to evaluate several integrated and eco-friendly strategies for the management of tomato
fruit rot and assess their effectiveness in improving yield, fruit quality, and key biochemical attributes. Fungal
diseases considerably contribute to substantial losses in tomato fruits throughout handling, storage, and
distribution from harvest to the consumer. In this study, several fungi originating from rotten tomato fruits in
Menoufia Governorate, Egypt, were isolated and identified as A. solani and A. alternata, where A. solani was
more prevalent and virulent, causing severe early blight symptoms, particularly in the Super strain B hybrid
(recording 96.30% incidence and 34.36% severity). Several biocontrol agents, including Trichoderma album, T.
atroviride, T. harzianum, T. viride, and the commercial product Blight Stop (T. harzianum) exhibited a strong
in vitro antagonistic activity against A. solani, with T. album achieving the highest inhibition (90.28%). In
vivo, all bio-agents and Blight Stop reduced disease incidence and severity of tomato fruit rot, with T. album
achieving the greatest control efficiency, recording 73.56% and 74.76% during 2023/24–2024/25 growth
seasons, respectively, followed by T. atroviride and Blight Stop. Additionally, these treatments enhanced
multiple yield components, including fruit quality (total soluble solids “TSS”, vitamin C, protein content,
carbohydrates), and several other biochemical traits such as flavonoids and phenolics content, and defenserelated enzymes (i.e., peroxidase (PO), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), chitinase, and β-1,3-glucanase), with T.
album consistently recorded the highest values. These findings highlight the effectiveness of Trichoderma spp.
as biocontrol agents and promising alternatives to chemical pesticides for suppressing post-harvest tomato
diseases and improving plant performance, thereby underscoring their potential as sustainable and ecofriendly
tools for disease management. |
