Inhibitory Effect of Phylloplane Fungi on Erysiphe polygoni DC inciting Powdery Mildew Disease of Trigonella foenum-graecum

Antagonistic effect of eight phylloplane mycoflora viz., Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger, Bipolaris spicifera, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium acuminatum, F. semitectum and Penicillium rubrum was studied against conidial germination of Erysiphe polygoni in vitro and disease development on Trigonella foenum-graecum grown in pots. Antagonists were studied individually as well as in composite form. All the fungi were more efficient when used collectively than those used individually. In vitro maximum inhibitory effect was exhibited by B. spicifera followed by C. lunata, C. cladosporioides, A. alternata. The percentage of disease inhibition was most significant with C. cladosporioides followed by A. alternata, F. semitectum and A. niger.