Bacillus thuringiensis Combined With Fungicide Applications in the Management of Soybean Leaf Diseases

Asian soybean rust (ASR) caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi is the main soybean leaf disease in Brazil. Downy mildew (Peronospora manshurica) and powdery mildew (Microsphaera diffusa) are important soybean foliar diseases of occurrence in Paraná state. To reduce severity and yield losses caused by soybean foliar diseases, this work aimed to verify the efficacy of different application doses of the commercial product Dipel® Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which is a biological insect controller, combined with number of Opera® fungicide (pyraclostrobin + epoxiconazole) intercalated applications, and to investigate the effect of the Bt Dipel® in the resistance induction of soybean. For this study, different methodologies were used, including in vitro, in vivo and field assays. The results showed that Bt Dipel® can reduce soybean foliar diseases by inducing β-1,3 glucanase enzime and phytoalexin gliceolin. The fungicide application in the experiment condition reduced yield losses.