GTU master’s student explores possibilities of using biocontrol agents against tomato fungal diseases

Tamuna Modebadze, a master’s student at the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Biosystems Engineering of the Georgian Technical University, is investigating the possibilities of using biocontrol agents against tomato fungal diseases.

Master’s thesis – “Using biocontrol agents against tomato fungal diseases” supervised by Professor Lia Amiranashvili of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Biosystems Engineering.
As the master’s student states, within the scope of the research, diseased and visually healthy tomato plants were collected in different regions of Georgia, in a laboratory the microorganisms causing cultural diseases were detected, and their various characteristics were studied.

“We have isolated useful plant microorganisms from tomato samples. The study of interdependence has shown us that it is possible to use beneficial bacteria against the cause of disease. We have identified ten fungi that cause the most damage and have tested up to 70 bacteria against them through laboratory tests.

The percentage of inhibition of pathogenic fungi by beneficial microorganisms varies from 15% to 70%. About ten bacteria were selected, which showed the highest effect of inhibiting the fungus, and research continued on them to study the mechanism.

The positive results of the tests conducted in the laboratory led to a field trial of the plants performed last spring. A plan was developed to combat the disease, and trials were conducted on plants in 6 different variants. The tests have shown the potential of beneficial bacteria and fungi in biological defense. It is desirable to improve the technology of the drug so that it can be used on a wider scale. In this direction, tests in laboratory conditions are still actively being conducted today, said Tamuna Modebadze.

According to Lia Amiranashvili, professor of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Biosystems Engineering, the research conducted by Master’s student Tamuna Modebadze is important and relevant to the extent that plant biological protection products are becoming more widespread, which emphasizes the high demand for them.

“In recent decades, the increasing impact of pesticide use on the environment and human health has led to a decrease in dependence on chemical preparations. Biological control is an important ecological approach in a pest management scheme. This method is considered an alternative to chemical control, which involves balancing the pest population and protecting the ecosystem. Therefore, the method’s relevance in agriculture is quite large. The use of beneficial insects in biological defense has a long history, although the method against disease-causing pathogenic fungi continues to change for higher efficiency.

After getting acquainted with the subject of the master’s degree, interested persons will have an idea about the endophytic micro-organisms of plants, which can be harmful but can help cure them. They will learn about the mechanisms by which biological enemies, without chemical preparations, fight against the causes of various diseases. All the methods and options we have implemented are discussed in the topic”, noted Lia Amiranashvili.