Agricultural and Biological Research

Biological management of root rot disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum Linn.) caused by Rhizoctonia solani

Mohd Ishfaq Nengroo*, Ishfaq Gul

The present paper reveals the biological management of root rots disease of wheat caused by the pathogen Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn. The bio-control agents like Trichoderma harzianum and T. viride were found to be the active inhibitors in mycelial growth of R. solani. Trichoderma spp. behaves as a safe, low-cost, effective, eco-friendly bio-control agent for different crop species. Substrates like talc formulation, farmyard manure and wheat bran have been reported to support the maximum growth of test antagonists. During the study work the bio-control agents (T. harzianum, T. viride, Gliocladium. virens and G. roseum) when applied individually reported to have significant improvement in the growth and biomass of wheat plants in addition to the reduction of root rot disease by 30 to 50 percent in comparison to the seedlings inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum alone, with maximum reduction by T. harzianum and minimum by Trichothecium.