Biological control in peanut crop: the potential of Trichoderma spp. and entomopathogenic fungi for pest and disease management

• Ano de defesa: 2023
• Autor(a) principal: Vigna, Fernando Bellesini
• Tipo de documento: Tese
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: por
• Instituição de defesa: Unesp
• Palavras-chave em Português: Controle biológico; Micotoxinas; Amendoim; Pesticidas
• Link de acesso: https://hdl.handle.net/11449/250886

This doctoral thesis investigated the potential and challenges of using entomopathogenic fungi and Trichoderma in the management of pests and diseases in peanut cultivation. With the aim of providing sustainable and effective tools, either alone or in conjunction with chemical pesticides, this study presents three main approaches. In Chapter II, the use of entomopathogenic fungi, Metarhizium, Beauveria, and Cordyceps, as endophytes in controlling peanut larval pests was investigated. It was found that feeding on plants inoculated with fungi resulted in lower larval growth rates, higher mortality, and lower larval and pupal weights compared to the control, highlighting the potential of these fungi as biological control agents. In Chapter III, the effectiveness of combining Trichoderma with two common fungicides, Chlorothalonil and Difenoconazole, in controlling peanut cercosporiosis was evaluated. The results of this work indicate that the combination of Trichoderma with fungicides provided better disease control and higher plant yields compared to the use of fungicides alone. This finding underscores the value of Trichoderma in peanut disease control and its potential to enhance peanut productivity when used alongside conventional fungicides. Finally, in Chapter IV, the use of Trichoderma in controlling pre-harvest infection of peanuts by Aspergillus flavus was assessed. The application of Trichoderma resulted in lower aflatoxin contamination compared to fungicides, demonstrating its potential role in ensuring food safety and increasing peanut crop productivity. Taken together, the results presented in this thesis highlight the critical role that entomopathogenic fungi and Trichoderma spp. can play in the sustainable management of pests and diseases in peanut cultivation, while also pointing out the challenges that still need to be overcome for the effective implementation of these biological strategies.