Antagonistic potential of some phosphate solubilizing fungi against some phyto-pathogenic fungi

Abstract Background Little phosphorus availability in soil is one of the major forces for crop production. Phosphate solubilizing fungi enhance available phosphorus from soils and contribute to achieve the plants phosphorus requirement. Phosphate solubilizing fungi are important component of soil microbiota and play an essential role in the biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus in natural ecosystems. Results The study tested the potential of the isolated phosphate solubilizing fungi to inhibit the growth of Alternaria alternata, Fusarium solani, Geotrichum candidum, Rhizoctonia solani and Sclerotium rolfsii. A total of 137 fungal isolates were isolated and identified from 30 soil samples. Nine isolates solubilized inorganic phosphate (tricalcium phosphate). Eight of these isolates were isolated from the rhizosphere of Alhagi graecorum Boiss., Allium cepa L., Ehrharta calycina Sm., Ludwigia stolonifera (Guill. & Perr.) Raven, Mentha longifolia L., Phragmites communis Trin.,Triticum aestivum L. and Zea mays L., respectively and one isolate was isolated from island's free soil. Purified single spore cultures of these nine isolates were identified to species level by multi loci DNA barcoding using internal transcribed spacer1and 2 (ITS1 and ITS 2) of the rRNA gene cluster, Calmodulin (CaM) and β-tubulin)BenA) gene markers. Conclusions The isolated phosphate solubilizing fungi belonged to two genera, Aspergillus and Penicillium. The phosphate solubilization index ranged from 1 to 1.5. Aspergillius japonicus 2 had the highest solubilization index (1.5) and also had the highest inhibition percentage (70%) against Alternaria alternata. This isolate is promising for development of biocontrol agent of Fusarium solani, Geotricum candidium and Alternaria alternata. The highest phosphate solubilization by Aspergillius japonicus 2 was obtained by using sucrose as carbon source and also ammonium chloride and tryptophan as nitrogen source. The highest solubilization percentage was 78.2% at optimum glucose concentration (5%) while the pH value that gave the highest solubilization percentage (90%) was 3. After eight days of incubation of Aspergillius japonicus 2, the solubilization percentage reached its maximum value (80.2%)