Plant growth promoter produced by Trichoderma virens and its effect on mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) seedling

Abstract

Trichoderma virens has great potency as promising biocontrol agents. As many as seven of T. virens strains which are effective to control soil borne pathogens are evaluated in this study for its capability to promote mungbean growth. In vitro evaluation showed that all strains were able to produce relatively high Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and performed effective phosphate solubilizing activity. IAA produced in Czapek dox agar varied from 5.2 μg mL -1 to 71.5 μg mL -1. Phosphate solubilizing activity showed after 2 days of incubation and the highest activity in plate assay was detected after 6 days after incubation. Phosphate solubilizing activity varied from 0.82 μg mL -1 to 4.69 μg mL -1. In planta study showed that T. virens Tv3 and Tv4 triggered the increase of IAA synthase in mungbean seedling as well as plant height and root length. A positive correlation was observed between IAA synthase of roots and several growth parameters (root fresh weight, plant height, and root length). Therefore, these two strains of T. virens could be suggested as plant growth promoters on mungbean.