IN VITRO EFFICACY OF SOME FUNGAL ANTAGONISTS AGAINST FUSARIUM SOLANI AND FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM F. SP. LYCOPERSICI CAUSING BRINJAL AND TOMATO WILT
Wilt of Solanum melongena and Lycopersicon esculantum are very serious soil - borne diseases caused by Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. A laboratory study was undertaken to study the possibility of controlling the disease using eight biocontrol agents viz., four species of Aspergillus (A. niger, A. flavus, A. sulphureus, A. luchuensis), two species of Trichoderma (T. viride, T. koningii) and two species of Penicillium (P. citrinum, P. italicum). The assessment of fungitoxicity was carried out by poisoned food technique at three different concentrations i.e., 25, 50, 75% (v/v) against the test fungi. Assessment was carried out in terms of percent mycelial growth inhibition. All the bioagents showed significant reduction in the growth of the pathogens. Among different bioagents, Aspergillus luchuensis against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici was found significantly superior to the rest in checking the growth of pathogen and showed 100% inhibition at all the concentrations, while Aspergillus niger against Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici was most effective and completly inhibited the mycelial growth at 50 and 75% concentration. On the other hand, Aspergillus luchuensis against Fusarium solani; and Aspergillus sulphureus against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici was most effective and completly inhibited the mycelial growth at 75% concentration followed by A. flavus, T. koningii, T. viride, P. italicum and P. citrinum