Integrating beneficial microorganisms and soil amendment for Grapevine Health: Toward Eco-Friendly seasonal fungal Disease Management and soil improvement

Lobna Hajji Hedfi^1*Takwa Wannassi^2*Samar Dali¹Wissem Hamdi³Boulbaba L'taief⁴Ahmed M. Abdel-Azeem⁵

• ¹Centre Regional des Recherches Agricoles de Sidi Bouzid, Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia
• ²CRRA, Sidi Bouzid, Tunisia
• ³Universite de Gabes Institut Superieur des Sciences et Techniques des Eaux Gabes, Gabes, Tunisia
• ⁴Biology Department, College of Sciences in Abha, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 960, Abha 62223, Saudi Arabia,, Abha, Saudi Arabia
• ⁵Suez Canal University Faculty of Science, Ismailia, Egypt

This study evaluates the effectiveness of two biological agents Trichoderma longibrachiatum and Pseudomonas yamanorum, along with compost addition. The results show that the combination of compost and microbial consortium enhances the physicochemical properties of the soil (increasing nitrogen, carbon, and organic matter while reducing bulk density and nitrate levels). Furthermore, this combination stimulates plant defense mechanisms, leading to an increase in antioxidant enzymes and phenolic compounds. The amendments also improved critical soil properties, increasing organic matter (up to 4.14%), organic carbon (up to 2.40%), and total nitrogen (up to 1.47 mg/g), which suggest the effect of its richness in microorganisms. The combined treatments also reduce the symptoms of fungal diseases, the severity of Botrytis cinerea was decreased from 82-92% to 4.97-7.71%, Erysiphe necator from 89-95% to 2.34-8.03%, and Plasmopara viticola from 70-95% to 2.84-5.66%. In conclusion, the use of compost and beneficial microorganisms as bio-stimulant could provide an effective and sustainable solution for improving grapevine soil quality and controlling fungal diseases.