In vitro studies on bio efficacy of native isolates of Trichoderma viride against maize stalk rot disease incited by Fusarium verticillioides

Abstract

Fusarium verticillioides is a soil born plant pathogen causing stalk rot diseases in several plants including maize (Zea mays L.) and management of stalk rot diseases are of very difficult with existing chemical methods. So, the main objective of this experiment is to identify effective Trichoderma isolates against Fusarium verticillioides. In this connection in vitro experiments are conducted to evaluate the anti-fungal activity of ten native isolates of Trichoderma viride, collected from different locations in Telangana state against maize stalk rot pathogen incited by Fusarium verticillioides. Among the isolates evaluated, Tv-8 isolate collected from Gundlapally village of Karimnagar, Dist. recorded the maximum (77.8 %) inhibition of mycelial growth (1.96 cm) of the pathogen at 10 days after inoculation and it was followed by Tv-6 isolate collected from Sitaramapuram village of Warangal, Dist. and Tv-3 isolate collected from Lachhigudem village of Khammam, Dist. with 73.9 and 71.6 per cent inhibition of mycelial growth of the pathogen over control respectively. Tv-1 isolate collected from Tanikella village of Khammam, Dist. was found to record the minimum inhibition of mycelial growth of the pathogen (5.83 cm) at ten days after incubation which counted for 34.1 per cent growth reduction over control. These results signifies the importance of exploration of native bio agents for effective management of soil born diseases like maize stalk rots.