IN VITRO ANTAGONISTIC ACTIVITY OF BACTERIAL PRODUCTS AGAINST RACES OF FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM F. SP. LYCOPERSICI

Tomato is a crop of significant importance for human consumption, and Brazil is among the leading producers worldwide. However, various diseases cause substantial losses in tomato cultivation, with wilt, induced by different races of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL), being one of the most destructive and challenging to manage. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of eleven microbiological products for the in vitro control of the three FOL races. To this end, the products were incorporated into a potato dextrose agar culture medium. The bioassays revealed that the products exhibiting the highest inhibitory effects against all three races contained Bacillus subtilis, B. amyloliquefaciens, B. velezensis, B. methylotrophicus, and Bradyrhizobium elkanii. In contrast, formulations containing B. subtilis + B. licheniformis, B. megaterium, and Lactobacillus casei + L. acidophilus + Saccharomyces cerevisiae demonstrated race-specific inhibition. These findings provide valuable insights into the in vitro antagonistic potential of microbiological products against FOL races. The most promising formulations will be further evaluated in assays for the suppression of Fusarium wilt.