Evaluation of bio-control agents against Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn and sheath blight disease of rice under temperate ecology

Attempts were made to manage sheath blight disease of rice in wet season of Kharif with bio-control agents, viz; Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride, Gliocladium virens, G. roseum and Trichothecium sp. In dual culture studies, highest growth inhibition of R.solani was recorded by T. harzianum (65.87%) followed by T. viride, G. virens and Trichothecium sp., while G. roseum exhibited least effect against radial growth of pathogen. Soil application of these bioagents revealed that disease severity was highest when crop treated with Trichothecium sp., followed by G. roseum, G. virens, T. viride and was lowest (0.71%) by T. harzianum. Disease incidence also showed a similar trend.