Biological control of Take-all disease of wheat using two fungal endophytes, Penicillium canescens and Penicillium hordei

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of plant protection, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran

2 Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran

10.22059/ijpps.2026.409466.1007101

Abstract

In this study, two endophytic fungi isolate Ag1T5 and TB4L1 were isolated from Aegilops triuncialis and Triticum boeoticum, respectively. They were identified as Penicillium canescens Ag1T5 and Penicillium hordei TB4L1 based on phenotypic characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analysis of the calmodulin gene (Cam) sequences. Then, their abilities as potential biological control agents (BCAs) against Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt) were evaluated in vitro and greenhouse conditions. In dual-culture method assay, isolates P. canescens Ag1T5 and P. hordei TB4L1 reduced Ggt growth by 52.65% and 70.69%, respectively. Antifungal effects of culture filtrates were observed for P. canescens with 38.11% inhibition, followed by the P. hordei (29.44%). Unlike, the volatile metabolites of selected endophytic fungi had low effect on growth of Ggt in vitro (2.07 to 10.33%). Fungal endophytes produced antifungal metabolites such as chitinase, cellulase, siderophore, protease and pectinase. Both isolates did not produce HCN and they were not able to phosphate solubilization. Furthermore, both isolates produced auxin (1.57-2.09 µg/mL) and gibberellin hormones (28.85-29.91 µg/mL), which significantly enhanced growth parameters of wheat plants. Disease severity of take-all were reduced by Ag1T5 with 83.57%, followed by TB4L1 (38.74%) in greenhouse conditions. In conclusion, both selected endophytic fungi were reduced disease severity of wheat take-all disease and were improved growth parameters of wheat plant under greenhouse conditions. Moreover, P. canescens Ag1T5 is good candidate, which might be useful in protection of wheat plant against take-all disease under field conditions.

Keywords

Iranian Journal of Plant Protection Science

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 20 February 2026

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History

  • Receive Date: 12 January 2026
  • Revise Date: 17 February 2026
  • Accept Date: 20 February 2026

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