Plant growth promoting cyanobacteria Westiellopsis sp. for the eco-friendly management of soil borne pathogens

Cyanobacteria produce unique antibacterial and antifungal bioactive metabolites which can be used for ecofriendly control of phytopathogens. The present study was carried out to explore the biological control and growth promoting activity of Westiellopsis sp. (Cyanobacteria) for the ecofriendly management of fungal pathogens. The work was conducted under in vitro conditions in Anbil Dharmalingam Agricultural College and Research Institute, Trichy, during the year 2016 - 2017. The methanol extracts (100%) of cyanobacteria (Westiellopsis sp.) were tested against pathogens Rhizoctonia solani, Saraclodium oryzae, Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium oxysporum in PDA medium using sterile disc and agar bore well method. The maximum inhibition (32.88%) was recorded in Fusarium oxysporum followed by Saraclodium oryzae (32.7%) which were significantly higher among other fungal pathogens. However, Macrophomina phaseolina and Rhizoctonia solani showed considerable low inhibition zone percentage of 23.35 and 15.54, respectively. The rice and cowpea seeds treated with cyanobacterial extract (100%) showed cent percent higher germination rate and higher vigour index of 771.5 and 3440 respectively, than compared to the control.