In-vitro Control of Fusarium Oxysporum by Aspergillus sp and Trichoderma sp Isolated from Vermicompost

Usha E, Shobha Ananda Reddy, Suba G.A. Manuel, Radha D. Kale | 2012 

Abstract

The effectiveness of agricultural residue derived vermicompost in providing protection against various plant diseases, especially against soil -borne plant pathogens has been studied extensively. In the previous studies effective control of soil-borne plant pathogen infections was observed on application of vermicompost. Most of the research is focused on elucidating the mechanism of soil – borne pathogen suppression and the potential types of interactions between micro-flora of vermicompost and the pathogens. The current study was aimed at assessing the potential for suppression of Fusariumoxysporum (causative agent of Fusarial wilt of common vegetable crops) by Trichoderma and Aspergillussp. isolated from Vermicompost. Mycelial disc (5 mm diameter) of F. oxysporum was placed at one edge of Petri plate containing PDA and incubated at 270C for four days. Forty eight hours later, mycelial discs (5 mm in diameter) of Trichoderma isolate was placed on the opposite side facing F. oxysporumin the same Petri plate and incubated. The results showed that Aspergillus sp. and Trichoderma sp. effectively suppressed F. oxysporum. This indicates that the fungal isolates from vermicompost have antagonistic effect against the plant pathogen. This study gives substantial evidence for the suppressive nature of vermicompost, which has the potential to replace the currently used fungicides in agriculture.