f. sp. Isolated from L.: In Vitro and In Planta Biocontrol by a Plant Growth Promoting-Bacteria Consortium.

Industrial hemp ( L.) is a multipurpose plant used in several fields. Several phytopathogens attack hemp crops. is a common fungal pathogen that causes wilt disease in nurseries and in field cultivation and causes high losses. In the present study, a pathogenic strain belonging to f. sp. was isolated from a plant showing wilt. After isolation, identification was conducted based on morphological and molecular characterizations and pathogenicity tests. Selected plant growth-promoting bacteria with interesting biocontrol properties-, , and -were tested against this pathogen. In vitro antagonistic activity was determined by the dual culture method. Effective strains (in vitro inhibition > of 50%) , and were combined in a consortium and screened for in planta antagonistic activity in pre-emergence (before germination) and post-emergence (after germination). The consortium counteracted infection both in pre-emergence and post-emergence. Our preliminary results show that the selected consortium could be further investigated as an effective biocontrol agent for the management of this pathogen.