Indian Journal of Agricultural Biochemistry

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri were isolated from chickpea wilt diseased plants. The inhibitory activity of the biocontrol agents - Trichoderma against F. oxysporum was tested in - vitro on potato dextrose agar (PDA) media. Among the four biocontrol agents, T. viride 54 showed highest 77.2% and 80.2% in vitro per cent inhibition of growth of fungal pathogen F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceri at 8 and 16 days after inoculation (DAI), respectively. The per cent growth inhibition of fungal pathogen was positively correlated with activities of peroxidase, protease, chitinase and b-1, 3-glucanase at 8 DAI. Mycoparasitism process was clearly observed during 8 to 16 days after inoculation (DAI) stages. At the later stage (16 DAI), peroxidase and protease correlated negatively with fungal growth inhibition of F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceri but at the same time, chitinase and b-1,3 glucanase correlated positively. It clearly indicated that chitinase, b-1,3-glucanase and protease considered as lytic enzymes were produced by Trichoderma to act on cell wall of fungal pathogens during antagonism. However, activities of cellulase and PG recorded lowest in treatments containing Trichoderma and found highest in F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceri control. The improvement in production of cellulolytic enzymes by T. viride 54 during its in vitro antagonism with plant pathogen suggested its suitability for biological control of plant pathogen F. oxysporum f. sp. ciceri.