Antifungal activity of different Trichoderma spp. against soil borne plant pathogens

Abstract

The present investigation entitled “Antifungal activity of different Trichoderma spp. against soil borne plant pathogen “was undertaken to assess the bio efficacy against predominant soilborne fungal pathogens viz. Fusarium oxysporum, Sclerotium rolfsi and Rhizoctonia bataticola which causes serious plant diseases such as wilts, collar rots, root rots. Due to the heavy crop losses occur under sick soil condition. Managing these diseases with chemicals is expensive, difficult and even eco hazardous. Therefore, use of biological control agents is an alternative to combat these diseases. Amongst many biocontrol agents, Trichoderma is one of them species have been reported to be inhibitory to many soils borne fungal pathogens. These Trichoderma species were evaluated for their antagonistic efficacy against three soil borne pathogens, F. udum, S. rolfsi and R. bataticola by dual culture technique. The maximum growth inhibition of F. udum, (75.93%), S. rolfsi (71.48%) and R. bataticola (85.93%) were recorded by T. asperellum, which was followed by T. harzanium (74.00%, 70.74% and 80.74% respectively).