Background: In the South of Russia, due to the large acreage of tomato crops (Solanum lycopersicum Mill.), there is an acute problem of plant protection against the obligate endoparasitic of the root system Meloidogyne hapla Chitwood 1949. The aim of this study was to assess the nematicidal activity of fungal strains isolated from the rhizosphere of tomato plants infected with root-knot nematodes (RKN) (Meloidogyne spp.). Results: After conducting route surveys, 10 soil samples were selected from the rhizosphere of tomato plants affected by RKN. Fifteen isolates of fungi belonging to different species were isolated from the soil samples. The species composition of the isolated fungal strains was determined: Metarhizium anisopliae IG01, Penicillium citrinum IG02, Trichoderma harzianum IG03, Aspergillus niger IG04, Trichoderma ghanense IG05, Trichoderma harzianum IG06, Trichoderma atroviride IG07, Aspergillus awamori IG08, Trichoderma atroviride IG09, Paramyrothecium roridum IG10, Trichoderma atroviride IG11, Trichoderma hamatum IG12, Beauveria bassiana IG13, Aspergillus ochraceus IG14, Purpureocillium lilacinum IG15. After initial screening in the laboratory, strains with the greatest nematicidal activity and safe for humans were selected: M. anisopliae ИГ01, T. harzianum IG03, T. ghanense IG05, T. atroviride IG07, T. atroviride IG09. The mortality rate of RKN when using these fungal strains varied from 79.4 ± 1.8 to 93.9 ± 3.1%. In the greenhouse, the fungal strains M. anisopliae IG01, T. harzianum IG03, T. ghanense IG05, T. atroviride IG07, T. atroviride IG09 showed high results in reducing the number of galls on the roots of tomato plants, and their biological efficacy was 71.4–83.0%. Conclusion: Work on the study of the nematicidal activity of fungi, in vitro and in vivo, allows us to conclude that strains isolated from the rhizosphere of plants can be effective in combating the north RKN (M. hapla). In the future, it is planned to establish the compatibility of M. anisopliae IG01, T. harzianum IG03, T. ghanense IG05, T. atroviride IG07, T. atroviride IG09 with each other and selecting the ratios of the studied strains to obtain mixtures to create an effective biological nematicide.

Aim. Assessment of the effect of biological products on soil suppression, biological efficacy, yield and biochemical parameters of potatoes in Krasnodar Territory.Material and Methods. The experiment was carried out on potatoes of the Colomba variety. The biological preparations against potato diseases have been studied. The research was carried out according to generally accepted methods.Results. During the study period, representatives of the genera Alternaria, Fusarium, Verticillium, Cladosporium, Trichoderma, Penicillium, Aspergillus were identified in the complex of soil fungi. When using biological products, an increase in Trichoderma spp. and conditionally suppressive fungi Penicillium spp. and Aspergillus spp. compared with the control and the chemical protection option, by 4.0 and 29.0 times, 1.7 and 1.8 times and 1.4 and 4.5 times, respectively, was observed. The efficacy of the biological products against Alternaria and Fusarium wilt was 73.4–77.7 % in the first year of the research, and 70.0–76.3 % in the second year, which was higher than chemical protection by 3.3–3.8 % and 0.8–2.7 %, respectively. The yield of potato tubers was higher than the control and the chemical protection option by 49.3–10.1 %. The highest content of vitamin C was noted in the biological protection system option. The content of nitrates in all variants of the experiment was within the normal range. The content of starch was higher than the control and the chemical protection option by 1.1–0.2%, respectively.Conclusions. The application of a biological protection system made it possible to reduce the development of Alternaria and Fusarium on potato plants, increase soil suppression, increase yield and improve biochemical indicators.

The primary aim of this research was to study the effectiveness of various strains of antagonist microorganisms and biological preparations against Meloidogyne hapla, in addition to their impact on the quality of tomato fruits and crop structure. Four microorganism strains and three registered environmentally safe nematicides were used in the experiment presented herein. The results showed that the strains Paecilomyces lilacinus F-22BK/6 and Arthrobotrys conoides F-22BK/4 had the greatest biological efficacy, reducing the number of galls on tomato plants by 91.8% and 88.4%, values comparable with the results of the chemical control Vydate 5G. The Metarhizium anisopliae F-22BK/2 and Arthrobotrys conoides F-22BK/4 treatments showed the best results, increasing the fruit weight by 8.6% and 9.9%, in addition to increasing the tomato yield by 5.0% and 13.3%. These strains contributed to an increase in sugar content, whereas the concentration of vitamin C was reduced in the Trichoderma viride F-294 and Fitoverm treatments, indicating a high level of oxidative stress in the latter treatments. The results of this study confirm the prospects of using biological nematicides against phytoparasitic nematodes, which will not only enable effective control of their population but also improve the quality of agricultural products, minimizing harm to the environment and human health.

Root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp., are widespread phytoparasites that cause a significant reduction in the yield of tomato Solanum lycopersicum. In the Russian Federation, where the use of chemical nematicides is limited due to environmental and toxicological risks, the cultivation of resistant varieties and hybrids remains the most effective and environmentally safe method to control Meloidogyne. In the course of this study, the resistance screening of 20 tomato varieties/hybrids and 21 mutant lines from the collection of the FSBSI FRCBPP to M. hapla was carried out using a comprehensive approach that included morphological and biochemical analysis methods. Resistance was assessed by calculating the gall formation index, the degree of root system damage, and biochemical parameters of fruits—vitamin C content and titratable acidity. In addition, molecular screening was carried out using the SCAR marker Mi23 to identify the Mi-1.2 gene, known as a key factor in resistance to a number of Meloidogyne spp. Although Mi-1.2 is not typically associated with resistance to M. hapla, all genotypes carrying this gene showed phenotypic resistance. This unexpected correlation suggests the possible involvement of Mi-associated or parallel mechanisms and highlights the need for further investigation into noncanonical resistance pathways. It was found that when susceptible genotypes were infected with M. hapla, there was a tendency for the vitamin C content to decrease, while resistant lines retained values close to the control. The presence of the Mi-1.2 gene was confirmed in 9.5% of samples. However, the phenotypic resistance of some lines, such as Volgogradets, which do not contain a marker for the Mi-1.2 gene, indicates a polygenic nature of resistance, alternative genetic mechanisms, or the possible influence of epigenetic mechanisms. The obtained data highlight the potential of using the identified resistant genotypes in breeding programs and the need for further studies of the molecular mechanisms of resistance, including the search for new markers specific to M. hapla, to develop effective strategies for tomato protection in sustainable agriculture.

Only two biological preparations have been registered for the control of spider mites on garden strawberries; the search for new biological agents to control this pest is relevant. The studies were carried out in the laboratory at the Federal Research Center of Biological Plant Protection. The study was aimed at the assessment of the biological efficacy of the new industrial sample Insetim Plus, L to control common spider mites on garden strawberries in a greenhouse. The tests on the strawberries Clery variety were carried out in 2023–2024 in the greenhouse. The experimental plan included spraying the plants with the industrial sample Insetim Plus, L (four times) and the standard insectoacaricide Fitoverm, KE (twice). The control variant was treated with water. The pest population, biological efficacy of the preparations, yield, biometric indicators and biochemical composition of berries, and the taste were assessed. On the 7th day in 2023 and on the 10th day in 2024 after the second treatment, the biological efficacy of the industrial sample Insetim Plus, L was at the level of the standard and amounted up to 100.0%. Until the end of the experiment, no spider mites were noted in this option and the biological efficacy on the 14th day after the last treatment was 100.0%. The yield increase in the Insetim Plus, L option amounted up to 43.6%, which was higher than in the standard by 8.3%. In the options with the use of the preparations Insetim Plus, L and Fitoverm, KE, the number of second-rate strawberries was lower than in the control by 40.8 and 38.3%, and the number of first-rate berries, on the contrary, was almost 2 times higher than in the control. The use of Insetim Plus, L had a positive effect on the structure of the yield and biochemical parameters of strawberries.