Potential of Paenibacillus polymyxa bacteria and Trichoderma sp. as biological pesticides to control maize leaf blight (Zea mays L)

Abstract

Maize Leaf Blight Disease caused by the fungus Helmintosporium turcicum is one of the diseases that always found on maize plantation. The disease attacks in the vegetative phase and it causes up to 27% loss of yield. Most of the farmers control the disease by using chemical pesticides that cause pollution to the environment, while this study offers control by using biological pesticides with Paenibacilus polymyxa Mace bacteria and Trichoderma sp fungus. This research aims to find out the effectiveness of P. polymyxa Mace and Trichoderma sp. and the combination of both against the disease of Leaf Blight in maize plantation. The experiment was conducted using a Completely Block Randomized Design. The treatments were control (without biopesticides), ( 10 ml P. polymyxa Mace 10 ml Trichoderma sp., and combination of 10 ml P. polymyxa Mace and Trichoderma sp.. Each treatment has 5 (five) replications. The results showed that all treatments were effective in suppressing Leaf Blight Disease on corn, however, Trichoderma sp. gave the best influence in controlling Leaf Blight Disease on the corn plant.