CHANGES IN GROWTH, PEROXIDASE ACTIVITY AND PHENOLIC COMPOUNDS CONTENT OF ONIONS TREATED WITH TRICHODERMA ASPERELLUM.

Abstract

In Mexico, onion is the third vegetable of greater consumption. Onions suffer from root diseases caused by species of Sclerotium, namely white rot (Sclerotium cepivorum) and southern blight (Sclerotium rolfsii). Chemical control methods against these diseases are used, but they can cause environmental problems; the use of biological control techniques have also been proposed for onion production, i.e. the application of Trichoderma spp, antagonist and parasitic fungi, that inhibited growth and sclerotial production on Sclerotium species and under experimental conditions have given good results (Punja, 1985). Beside the biocontrol effects, the treatment with Trichoderma spp. could be also effective in promoting growth and yield of various crops, and inducing resistance against pathogens (Vinale et al., 2008).