In vitro studies on the potential for biological control of Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium moniliforme by Trichoderma species. 1. Macroscopical and microscopical observations of fungal interactions.

The possible biological control of the seed-associated fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium moniliforme by Trichoderma species was investigated. A study of the fungal growth in dual cultures revealed that four of nine isolates of two Trichoderma spp. (T. harzianum and T. viride) inhibited fungal growth. A scanning electron microscopical investigation of fungal interactions demonstrated no obvious hyphae penetration of A. flavus or F. moniliforme by Trichoderma spp. Morphological alteration of Fusarium hyphae with pronounced collapse and the production of aberrant conidial heads and microheads by A. flavus were observed. The results suggest that mycoparasitism is not the mechanism involved in the inhibitory interaction of either A. flavus or F. moniliforme with Trichoderma spp.