Evaluation of endophytic fungi as biological control agents of broomrape (Phelipanche aegyptiaca Pers.) in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cv. Karoon

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran

2 Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI) and School of Agriculture and Food Sciences (SAFS), The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia

Abstract

Egyptian broomrape (Phelipanche aegyptiaca) is a devastating root-parasitic weed that poses a severe threat to global tomato production, particularly within the arid and semi-arid agroecosystems of Iran. Due to the parasite's subterranean life cycle, conventional chemical and mechanical control strategies are limited in efficacy. This study evaluated the biocontrol potential and plant-growth-promoting efficacy of eighteen indigenous endophytic fungal isolates on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cv. 'Karoon' is infested with P. aegyptiaca under controlled greenhouse conditions. Fungal inoculation was performed utilizing colonized sterile wheat seed matrices arranged in a completely randomized design. Comprehensive morphological and developmental traits encompassing root/shoot fresh and dry weights, and root length were systematically analyzed. The quantitative data revealed that select endophytic mutualists significantly mitigated parasitic stress and augmented host tolerance. Specifically, the endophytic fungus Epicoccum nigrum significantly increased root fresh weight compared to the infested control. Trichoderma viride exhibited the highest shoot fresh weight, while Microdochium bolleyi enhanced shoot dry weight, both reaching levels comparable to the uninfested control. Ascotricha funiculosa exhibited the highest root dry weight, while Fusarium tricinctum and Ascotricha chartarum produced the greatest root length, representing up to 57% increase compared to the infested control. These findings underscore that targeted endophytic fungi can serve as pivotal components in integrated pest management frameworks aimed at suppressing broomrape infestations

Keywords

Journal of Advances in Plant Protection
Volume 3, Issue 1
June 2026
Pages 41-52

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