Management of collar rot of tomato by Trichoderma spp.

Scleratium ralfsii Sacco has a host range of more than 500 species of cultivated and wild plants in tropical region (9). The pathogen causes pre-and post-emergence damping off, root/collar rot and wilt of the seedlings. The disease results from infection by germinating selerotia produced by the pathogen which are resistant survival structures and control of the pathogen through host resistance or fungicides is difficult. As an alternative, in recent times biocontrol agents (10) and plant products are gaining importance in the management of this fungus. The genus Trichoderma has potential biocontrol species against S. ralfsii in tomato (6, 9). Trichoderma spp. are known to attack the sclerotia of S. ralfsii