Biochemical characterization of Pochonia chlamydosporia Q30 as biocontrol agent and plant growth promoter

Pochonia chlamydosporia is a natural soil fungi, which in recent years has gained importance for its ability to nematodes biocontrol and its beneficial plant interaction. The biochemical characterization of new isolates is important to determine their potential as biocontrol agent and plant growth promoter. In the present work, through the use of specific culture media, it was found that Pochonia chlamydosporia Q30 possesses chitinolytic activity, which could involve in the degradation of the egg wall and the cuticule of the juvenile nematode stages, amilolytic and pectinolytic activiy related to root colonization as endophyte was also found. Finally, phosphate solubilization (242.6 ± 27.1 mg/L) and indoleacetic acid production (10.0 ± 1.2 mg/L) were detected as plant gowth promoting properties, which were later verified in watermelon seedlings, whose inoculation with 105 chlamydospores, increased the height and the stem diameter in a 13 and 6 %, respectively. In conclusion, P. chlamydosporia Q30 has potential to be tested as biocontrol agent for nematodes and plant growth promoter.