The impact of certain growth regulators and Trichoderma harzianum on the incidence of root rot and biochemical activity in Phaseolus vulgaris L.

Abstract

The study investigated the effectiveness of seed dressing and foliar spray with indole acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA) and Trichoderma harzianum, either alone or in combination, to manage root rot in green beans. The application of GA at concentrations of 40 ppm, 20 ppm, IAA at 20 ppm, 40 ppm and a combination of IAA at 40 ppm and GA at 40 ppm significantly reduced the incidence of pre-emergence root rot. Additionally, the use of IAA at concentrations of 10, 20 and 40 ppm completely suppressed post-emergence root rot in green beans. Furthermore, the application of tested growth regulators IAA and GA at different concentrations along with T. harzianum in combination induced higher chitinase polyphenol oxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase activities compared to control. These treatments have the potential to be used as safe and effective alternatives to chemical fungicides for the control of green bean root diseases.

Keywords:

• Enzymes activity
• green beans
• plant hormones
• root rot
• T. harzianum

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the National Research Centre, Egypt.

Author contributions

All authors prepared the conception and design of the experiments. MMA, NSE and HMMM performed the greenhouse trials, recorded the data and wrote the paper. HMM, MSH, AAM and NSE performed laboratory experiments and estimated protein contents and enzyme activities. NSE and AAM performed the data statistical analysis and helped in manuscript preparation. All authors read the draft written manuscript and approved it.

Ethical approval

The study was conducted on the natural occurrence of root rot disease and usage of beneficial fungi and certain plant resistance inducers available in the environment and the ethical approval is not demanded.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Data availability statement

All created and/or analyzed data during the present study are attainable in the manuscript, and the corresponding author has no interception to the availability of data and materials.