Tarbiat Modares University Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology 1680-7073 27 4 2025 07 01 Antifungal potential of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AM2 against the banana pathogen Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 763 773 17048 10.22034/JAST.27.4.763 EN Wan Anati Nabilah Wan Tajudin Shah Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Nur Baiti Abd Murad Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Jia Xin Ong Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Shin Huey Ang Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Nur Laili Research Center for Applied Microbiology, Research Organization for Life Sciences, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor Km. 46, Cibinong, Bogor, West Java 16911, Indonesia. Noor Baity Saidi Laboratory of Sustainable Agronomy and Crop Protection, Institute of Plantation Studies, University of Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. Journal Article <span>Fusarium wilt of bananas is a serious disease affecting banana plantations worldwide. In an effort to sustainably manage the disease, biological control is considered a promising alternative to agrochemicals that can cause detrimental effects on humans and the ecosystem. In this study, we investigated the biological control potential of the present collection of beneficial bacteria, including Lactiplantibacillus plantarum AM2, Streptomyces morookaensis NRRL B-12429, Bacillus velezensis </span><span>B4158</span><span>, B. atrophaeus B363B, and B. amyloliquefaciens B942, through a dual culture assay and a greenhouse experiment. The studied causal agent of Fusarium wilt in banana was Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense Tropical Race 4 (Foc TR4). The inhibition range in vitro was between 31.0% to 42.1%, and the highest growth inhibition of Foc TR4 was observed for L. plantarum AM2. Infected banana plantlets that received the treatment with L. plantarum AM2 also showed a significant reduction in disease severity index, as low as 24% compared to the treatment with other beneficial bacteria. This study showed that L. plantarum AM2 has a good antagonistic effect on Foc TR4 mycelial growth and the most potential to control Fusarium wilt disease in bananas. </span> https://jast.modares.ac.ir/article_17048_83584fd991eed3055f7b446843f1200e.pdf