Enhancement of biocontrol activity of Torulaspora delbrueckii with methyl jasmonate against apple blue mould disease

Torulaspora delbrueckii alone and in combination with methyl jasmonate was applied to the control of Penicillium expansum. For evaluation of direct effect of Methyl jasmonate on mycelial growth of pathogen, it was added to potato dextrose agar culture at different concentrations. Effect of methyl jasmonate on population of yeast in nutrient yeast dextrose broth media was determined after 24 and 48 h. Results showed that methyl jasmonate had no significant direct effect on pathogen and yeast. Also, evaluation of methyl jasmonate effect on the population of yeast in apple wounds indicated that methyl jasmonate at different concentrations increased population growth of yeast at 20°C, 8 and 15 days after inoculation in toward the control and it had no significant effect on population dynamics of yeast at 4°C. In vivo, the results indicated that combination of methyl jasmonate with antagonistic yeast reduced the blue mould of apples better than methyl jasmonate and yeast alone.