National Symposium on Strategic Issues in Plant Pathological Research held at Department of Plant Pathology, CSK HP Krishi Vishvavidayalaya, Palampur on November 24–25, 2011
Species of Trichoderma have ecological importance as they have antagonistic ability to be used as potent biocontrol agents. In the present investigation 14 indigenous isolates of Trichoderma spp. (5 of T.viride, 5 of T. hamatum and 4 of T. harzianum) from Himachal Pradesh were evaluated for their efficacy against important soil-borne plant pathogens like, Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici, Rhizoctonia solani and Pythium aphanidermatum by dual culture technique under in vitro conditions. All the isolates of Trichoderma spp. inhibited the growth of the three pathogens, however, the percent inhibition varied with the pathogen species and the Trichoderma spp. Trichoderma harzianum–F isolate resulted in maximum mycelial growth inhibition (68.9%) followed by T. hamatum-FG (65.7%) incase of F. oxysporum f,sp. lycopersici. Isolate T. viride K-4 caused maximum inhibition (59.6%) in case of R. solani followed by T. harzianum-1 (54.6%). Against P. aphanidermatum all the isolates of Trichoderma spp. and T. hamatum-2 isolate showed less than 25 and 24.3 per cent inhibition in the mycelia growth. Isolates T. harzianum-F, T. viride K-4 and T. hamatum-2 proved effective against F. oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici in tomato, R. solani in beans and P. aphanidermatum in ginger, respectively and can be employed for development of talc based formulations for their use in field.
