A safe method to control the anthracnose in papaya

Abstract

Abstract This study aimed to propose a safe methodology for the control anthracnose caused by the fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in the papaya ( Carica papayaL.). In addition, yeast present in epiphytic microbiota associated with this fruit were isolated and selected as biocontrol agents, its use in classical and integrated biological control protocols with GRAS substances. For selection as biocontrol agents, the obtained isolates were tested for their ability to: produce antagonistic substances against C. gloeosporioides, not grow at 37ºC and subsequently tested for their potential control. Considering the total of 85 isolated yeasts, only UFT 5852 was selected in the above mentioned tests and due to this it was used in biological control tests in vivo. It was identified molecularly belonging to species Anthracocystis grodzinskae by the sequencing the D1/D2 domain. The results of the biocontrol had showed that the yeast presented a reduction of the disease severity by 93.7%, the sodium bicarbonate 100%, and the biological control integrated with sodium bicarbonate showed a decrease of 84.4%. The treatments did not differ 5% by Tukey test. However, the sodium bicarbonate at 1% showed the best strategy for the control of Anthracnose produced by the phytopathogenic fungus C. gloeosporioides in papaya due accessible strategy.