Evaluation of fungal antagonist Trichoderma species against Macrophomina phaseolina in black gram

Abstract

India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of black gram. India produces about 1.5 to 1.9 million tones of black gram annually from about 3.5 million hectares of area, with an average productivity of 500 kg per hectare. Black gram output accounts for about 10 per cent of India’s total pulse production. Root rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid is one of the most important fungal diseases of Black gram. It inflicts serious economic loss to the crop. It was reported to result in a loss of 28.6 per cent in black gram yield. Trichoderma species are effective biocontrol agents for several soil borne fungal plant pathogens including M phaseolina and some species are also known for their to enhance systemic resistance to plant disease. Soil application of T. viride significantly controlled the blackgram root rot caused by M phaseolina by means of several antagonistic mechanisms such as nutrient composition, antibiotic production and mycoparasitism. Results showed in vitro efficiency of antagonist inhibited the mycelial growth. T. viride (Tv3) recorded the maximum inhibition zone (73.74%), followed by T. viride (Tv1) which recorded 71.74 per cent inhibition on the growth of pathogen over control. The isolate T. viride (Tvs) recorded the minimum inhibition (69.37%).