AUTHOR=Tajdinian Samaneh , Rahmati-Joneidabad Mostafa , Ghodoum Parizipour Mohamad Hamed 

TITLE=Macroalgal treatment to alleviate the strawberry yield loss caused by Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid. in greenhouse cultivation system

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2022.1089553

DOI=10.3389/fsufs.2022.1089553

ISSN=2571-581X

ABSTRACT=<p>The application of algae has been considered a key element for integrated disease management in sustainable agriculture. These organisms can act as a bio-stimulant for induction of resistance against a variety of abiotic and biotic agents that cause economical loss to crop production globally. Charcoal rot disease caused by <italic>Macrophomina phaseolina</italic> (Tassi) Goid. is one of the biotic agents restricting strawberry (<italic>Fragaria</italic> × <italic>ananassa</italic> Duch.) yield in many cultivation sites. Herein, the foliar application of brown alga (<italic>Sargassum angustifolium</italic>) was investigated for the reduction of the disease symptoms and improvement of vegetative and reproductive indices in strawberries under greenhouse conditions. The results showed that alga-treated infected plants showed symptom remission. Moreover, vegetative and reproductive indices of alga-treated plants were significantly improved. Biochemical analysis showed that in alga-treated infected plants the total phenol, flavonoids, and total antioxidant activity were significantly increased compared to non-treated infected plants. Furthermore, the content of defense-related enzymes, viz. phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and polyphenol oxidase, were significantly increased in the infected plants pre-treated with the alga extract. Foliar application of <italic>S. angustifolium</italic> extract can induce defense responses in strawberry plants infected by <italic>M. phaseolina</italic> leading to improved growth indices of the plants. It can be concluded that <italic>S. angustifolium</italic> extract is a promising source of bio-stimulants for induction of disease resistance against charcoal rot disease in strawberry cultivations.</p>