Identification of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis Race 2 in Central Taiwan and Its Potential Biocontrol Agent

In 2022, a wilt disease was found in the melon in central Taiwan, resulting in severe yield losses. To identify the causal agent, both morphological and molecular identification were conducted. Together with the results of host range tests, the pathogen was identified as Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melonis race 2 (FOM). To develop a sustainable and eco-friendly method for disease management, the culture broth and culture filtrate of two potential biocontrol agents, Bacillus mycoides strains BM02 and BM103, were evaluated against FOM in a greenhouse. The results revealed that B. mycoides strain BM02 consistently and significantly (P < 0.05) reduced the disease when applied via foliar spraying or soil-drenching, compared to the water control. To our knowledge, this is the first report confirming FOM race 2 in Taiwan and the biocontrol results suggested that BM02 could be promising for managing melon Fusarium wilt.