Efficacy of Saccharothrix algeriensis NRRL B-24137 to suppress Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. vasinfectum induced wilt disease in cotton.

cotton wilt is a devastating disease of the cotton crop throughout the world, caused by f.sp. (FOV). Chemical control has many side effects, so, biological controls have been widely used for the management of wilt. This study aimed to investigate the possible use of an actinomycetes (SA) NRRL B-24137 to control FOV. To access anti- ability of SA NRRL B-24137, dual culture assay, spore germination and seed germination tests were carried out. Following investigations, several pot tests in a greenhouse environment were used to evaluate the biological control potential of SA NRRL B-24137 against FOV. Dual culture assay and spore germination revealed that SA NRRL B-24137 showed significant anti- activity.During spore germination 87.77% inhibition of spore germination were observed. In pot experiments, SA NRRL B-24137 primed cotton seeds resulted in a 74.0% reduction in disease incidence. In soil there was a significant reduction in FOV spores in the presence of SA NRRL B-24137. Positive correlation was also observed on different concentrations of SA NRRL B-24137 towards FOV reduction. The results of this study showed that SA NRRL B-24137 has the potential to be employed as a biocontrol agent against cotton wilt, improving cotton growth characteristics and yield.