Trichoderma asperelloides PSU-P1 Induced Expression of Pathogenesis-Related Protein Genes against Gummy Stem Blight of Muskmelon (Cucumis melo) in Field Evaluation

Abstract

Gummy stem blight caused by <i>Stagonosporopsis cucurbitacearum</i> is the most destructive disease of muskmelon cultivation. This study aimed to induce disease resistance against gummy stem blight in muskmelon by <i>Trichoderma asperelloides</i> PSU-P1. This study was arranged into two crops. Spore suspension at a concentration of 1 × 10⁶ spores/mL of <i>T. asperelloides</i> PSU-P1 was applied to muskmelon to investigate gene expression. The expression of PR genes including chitinase (<i>chi</i>) and β-1,3-glucanase (<i>glu</i>) were determined by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), and enzyme activity was assayed by the DNS method. The effects of <i>T. asperelloides</i> PSU-P1 on growth, yield, and postharvest quality of muskmelon fruit were measured. A spore suspension at a concentration of 1 × 10⁶ spore/mL of <i>T. asperelloides</i> PSU-P1 and <i>S. cucurbitacearum</i> was applied to muskmelons to determine the reduction in disease severity. The results showed that the expression of <i>chi</i> and <i>glu</i> genes in <i>T. asperelloides</i> PSU-P1-treated muskmelon plants was 7-10-fold higher than that of the control. The enzyme activities of chitinase and β-1,3-glucanase were 0.15-0.284 and 0.343-0.681 U/mL, respectively, which were higher than those of the control (pathogen alone). Scanning electron microscopy revealed crude metabolites extracted from <i>T. asperelloides</i> PSU-P1-treated muskmelon plants caused wilting and lysis of <i>S. cucurbitacearum</i> hyphae, confirming the activity of cell-wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs). Application of <i>T. asperelloides</i> PSU-P1 increased fruit weight and fruit width; sweetness and fruit texture were not significantly different among treated muskmelons. Application of <i>T. asperelloides</i> PSU-P1 reduced the disease severity scale of gummy stem blight to 1.10 in both crops, which was significantly lower than that of the control (2.90 and 3.40, respectively). These results revealed that application of <i>T. asperelloides</i> PSU-P1 reduced disease severity against gummy stem blight by overexpressed PR genes and elevated enzyme activity in muskmelon plants.