Heavy metals (HM) in the soil cause changes in the ratio of resistant and susceptible fungal species, the mechanisms of interaction between which are not well understood. The aim of this work is to study the resistance to Cu and Pb cations and the antagonistic properties of two species of soil micromycetes Alternaria alternata and Trichoderma viride. Fungal resistance was assessed by the following test functions: biomass accumulation, colony diameter, and sporulation activity. The antagonistic activity of fungal species was assessed by competition test. The calculated effective concentrations and tolerance indices made it possible to conclude that A. alternata and T. viride are highly resistant to the investigated HMs. At the same time, species differences in the patterns of reactions were found. The growth of A. alternata colonies was inhibited to a greater extent than T. viride, however at the same HM concentration, the stimulation of sporulation in Alternaria was more pronounced than in the rapidly growing Trichoderma. The studied strain T. viride turned out to be quite competitive with respect to the phytopathogenic fungus A. alternata, and its antagonistic properties were well pronounced in the medium with HM. The data obtained can be useful for predicting the phytopathogenic activity of micromycetes against the background of chemical pollution and the dynamics of accumulation of various fungal species under adverse environmental conditions.
ISSN 1995-4301
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