Abstract

Olubukola O. Babalola

Fusarium arthrosporioides plus cellulase was evaluated on tomato root systems to ascertain whether cellulase, a cell wall degrading enzyme, could accelerate fungus infection of Orobanche aegyptiaca tubercles. Chopped mycelia alone (1.3 × 106 and 5.4 × 106 propagules ml-1 ) killed 17 and 37% of Orobanche tubercles, respectively while in the presence of cellulase (10 Uml-1 ) Orobanche tubercles mortality increased to 37 and 78%. Cellulase treatment alone was ineffective. Only a hypersensitive reaction (9% death) resulted in the absence of cellulase. The findings add to the commercial value of F. arthrosporioides as a potential mycoherbicide when sufficiently virulent.