UTILIZATION OF RHIZOSPHERE FUNGI TO CONTROL Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. capsici IN VITRO

ABSTRACT Fusarium wilt disease in pepper has destroyed crops belonging to farmers in Banjarangkan, Klungkung. Results of preliminary research has been carried out and found that the disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. capsici. Fusarium wilt disease that until now has not found a way appropriate controls. The alternative control efforts that was environmentally friendly to found microbes antagonist which is located in the rhizosphere of pepper plants healthy or in suppressive soil needs to be done. This study aims to found potentially antagonistic fungi that useful to control Fusarium wilt disease on pepper crops. The mycoflora were isolated by using soil dilution technique or viable plate count method on Potato Dextrose Agar medium supplemented with antibiotic Livofloxacin (25%, w/v). Identification and characterization of mycoflora were done with the help of manual of fungi. Rhizosphere fungi derived from pepper plants healthy were able to be identified. A total of 63 spesies belonging to 4 genera included Penicillium (45 species), Aspergillus (6 species), Trichoderma (9 species) and Candida (3 species). The percentage contribution of rhizosphere fungi highest in P. digitatum (47.63%), P. expansum (19,05%), T. harzianum (9,53%), A. nidulans, A. niger, Penicillium sp., Candida albicans, and T. vitrens i.e 4,76% respectively. All of rhizosphere fungi colonies were found to inhibit Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. capsici in vitro. The best inhibition was found in Aspergillus niger at 88.89 ± 2.2% followed by A. nidulans of 85,56 ± 1,6 %, T. harzianum at 84,45 ± 1,58% , and T. virens by 83,33 ± 1,2%, five days after inoculation. All of them with a very high inhibition criteria. Keywords: rhizosphere fungi, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. capsici, inhibiting ability, persentage contribution, and antagonistic.