Effect of Endomycorrhizae on the Pathogenicity of Rhizoctonia solani and the Growth of Olive Plants

In poor soils, widely invaded by telluric fungi and subject to difficult environmental conditions (semi-arid and arid), the use of cultural techniques has become essential. Mycorrhizae are one of the promising strategies in the field of plant breeding and production. This symbiosis improves mineral and water nutrition and strengthens plant defenses. The effect of an endomycorrhizal inoculum on olive tree growth and the pathogenicity of Rhizoctonia solani was studied by inoculation of olive plants according to the following protocol. The plants were divided into four lots with six plants for each batch. Lot 1: Control plants (T), Lot 2: Plants inoculated with Rhizoctonia solani, Lot 3: Plants inoculated with endomycorrhizal fungi (Myc), Lot 4: Plants inoculated simultaneously with mycorrhiza and Rhizoctonia solani (My + Rhiz). Growth parameters were evaluated after 6 months of culture. Leaf number, branch number, plant height and root portion weight of plants inoculated with Rhizoctonia Solani as the pathogen were very low compared to the growth parameters recorded in plants inoculated with mycorrhizae. Indeed, Rhizoctonia solania reduced the development of the root and aerial part while the colonization of the roots of olive trees by endomycorrhizal fungi has shown encouraging results in stimulating the growth and resistance of olive trees.