Effect of Glomus bagyarajii inoculation and phosphorus amendments on fusarial wilt of chickpea

A management strategy based on a time effective inoculation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to mitigate yield losses due to Fusarial wilt in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L) was studied. The interactions between AMF(Glomus bagyarajii) and Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceri (Foc) were observed in experiments conducted in sterilized soil under pot house conditions. The effect of mycorrhiza fungus on intensity of chickpea wilt, the effect of Foc on mycorrhisation (root colonization, AMF spore density/100 g soil) and the interactive effects of AMF and Foc on phosphorus (P) content and wilt severity index were investigated. Pre-inoculating plants with AMF considerably reduced Foc population density, as compared to simultaneous inoculation with Foc + AMF. Early inoculation of AMF increased mycorrhisation, P content of plants and reduced disease intensity up to 85.0%. The results suggested that soil pretreated with AMF acted as bioprotectant against the chickpea wilt.