Abstract
To evaluate the inoculation effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) and actinomycetes on promoting plant growth and
diminishing wilt in pepper plant (Capsicum annuum L.), a pot experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions using
a factorial design on random blocks. It was evaluated the native Cerro del Metate mycorrhizal consortium, and ABV39 and
ABV02 actinomycetes were evaluated against the CH11 stain of Phytophthora capsici. Responses of the variables evaluated
were plant height, stem diameter, number of leaves, total fresh and dry biomass, leaf area and radical volume, number of AMF
spores, mycorrhizal colonization, roots infected with P. capsici, and severity of wilting utilizing an ordinal qualitative scale.
The results showed that mycorrhizal plants and inoculated with ABV39 demonstrated the highest values for plant height, stem
diameter, and number of leaves with 26.12 cm, 5.29 mm, and 35.12 leaves, respectively. Co-inoculation of AMF and both
actinomycetes significantly promoted (p≤0.001) total fresh and dry biomass and leaf area of the plants without P. capsici. The
disease severity of the AMF-inoculated plants diminished against plants without mycorrhization. However, when they were
also co-inoculated with ABV39 or ABV02, disease severity was significantly reduced (p≤0.05), up to level 2 of 5 levels on a
severity scale. These results show a synergetic effect with co-inoculation of AMF and actinomycetes in vegetal growth
promotion and bioprotection against wilting caused by P. capsici in pepper plants.
