Exploiting a combination of host plant resistance and Trichoderma species for the management of safflower wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. carthami Klisiewicz and Houston

In an integrated management approach against safflower wilt, Trichoderma species application to susceptible and moderately susceptible varieties of safflower was tried over two seasons in fusarial wilt affected plots. Though the disease incidence levels compared to a pathogen only check (96.7%) are significantly low in var. Nira with T. viride and T. harziaiium seed applications (44.5 and 50.9 % respectively), the disease incidence in general is very high in bioagent treatments since the variety Nira is highly susceptible. T. harzianum soil application in var. Al resulted in significantly low disease compared to pathogen check and fungicide treatments but comparable to soil application of bioagents over two seasons. In general, there was an increase in bioagents populations and reduction in Fusarium population in the rhizosphere. By adopting a moderately susceptible variety like Al in place of susceptible varieties of safflower and application of Trichoderma species either to the soil or on the seed the wilt disease in safflower can be managed more efficiently.