TRIPLE CONTROL AGAINST FUSARIUM WILT DISEASE OF FABA BEAN AND ITS IMPACT ON PRODUCTIVITY

Abstract

usarium wilt, a fungal disease, significantly threatens faba bean yield in Egypt. This current study investigated the potency of a combined application of endophytic bacteria, decomposed olive leaves extract (OLE), and iron nanoparticles (FeNPs) for its biocontrol and growth promotion in faba bean. Two endophytic bacterial strains isolated from helthy faba bean plants and identified using 16S rRNA nucleotide sequence as Bacillus subtilis and Pseudoroseomonas wenyumeiae were studied for their antagonistic and plant growth promoting traits activities, FeNPs was biosynthesized via Pseudoroseomonas wenyumeiae . OLE was biodegraded using a fungus Bosea thiooxidans to enhance its antifungal potential. A research experiment was designed based on natural field infection. Significant differences in disease severity index (DSI) and disease incidence (DI) were noticed. While untreated plants exhibited the highest disease burden (DI = 72.5%, DSI = 0.275),the combined application of bioagents, decomposed OLE, and FeNPs as both soil drench and foliar spray (FeNPs) showed the lowest disease severity (DI = 34.2%, DSI = 0.089). Treated plants demonstrated improved growth parameters, including increased height, wet and dry weight, number of pods, weight of 100 seeds, macro-and microelement content. This study suggested that the synergistic combination of endophytic bacteria, OLE, and FeNPs offered a promising and sustainable biocontrol strategy against Fusarium wilt in faba bean, promoting plant growth and reducing reliance on chemical pesticides.