Cluj-Napoca Control of Wilt and Blight Diseases of Cumin through Antagonistic Fungi under in Vitro and Field Conditions

The experiment was carried out to assess their possible use as bio-agents for several antagonistic fungi on growth of two cumin fungal pathogens under in vitro and field conditions. Under in vitro conditions maximum inhibition (82.86%) of radial growth of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cumini was observed with the treatment of Trichoderma harzianum strain I, whereas maximum inhibition (85.45%) of the mycelial growth of Alternaria burnsii was observed in the presence of Trichoderma harzianum strain II. The antagonists who showed maximum inhibition of the pathogen in laboratory conditions were applied in field conditions as soil treatment/seed treatment or as foliar spray. The incidence of wilt disease was found to be lowest (PDI 27.40%) when soil was treated with Trichoderma harzianium strain I at the rate of 24g / 6m2 (weight of fungus with sorghum seeds). Minimum blight disease incidence was observed when T. harzianum strain II was applied to the soil at the rate of 24g / 6m2 (36.15%) or when 10 % spore suspension of T. harzianum strain II was applied as seed treatment at the time of sowing and as spray at the time of flowering (PDI 35.10%). Thus treatments of Trichoderma harzianum strain I for wilt and Trichoderma harzianum strain II for blight diseases of cumin under both the conditions @ 24g / 6m2 or 40kg / ha seems promising for sustainable management of crop diseases