Eco-friendly approach for suppressing Fusarium wilt of cumin

Antagonistic potential of four bioagents viz., Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride, Pseudomonas jluorescens and Bacillus subtilis was tested against cumin wilt pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cumini under laboratory conditions. All the four test bioagents significantly inhibited the mycelial growth of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cumini. Maximum inhibition of mycelial growth of the test pathogen was recorded in presence of P. jluorescens closely followed by T. harzianum and T. viride The population of F. oxysporum f. sp. cumini in soil was relatively low when P. jluorescens treated seeds were sown as compared to rest of the three bioagents. Both the root and shoot lengths were higher in P. jluorescens and T. harzianum treatments as compared to T. viride and B. subtilis treatments. The results showed that P. jluorescens was most effective in enhancing the dry weight of cumin plants particularly when used at 8 g kg-^t seed. T. harzianum and T. viride treatments also proved effective in increasing the dry weight.