Antifungal Potential of Biocontrol Agents Against Phytophthora Capsici Causing Chili Fruit Rot

Abstract

Biocontrol is an environmentally friendly and proficient way to manage the plant diseases which leads to comes true the dream of organic farming. In present study different antagonistic assays (dual culture, volatile and nonvolatile metabolite) were used to investigate the antifungal activity of three already molecular characterized isolates of Trichoderma viz, Trichoderma asperellum TH, Trichoderma harzianum HM, Trichoderma harzianum HK and two morphologically characterized isolates of Bacillus subtilis against Phytophthora capsici (Leonian) a threating pathogen of fruit rot of chili. Results showed that all the antagonist inhibited the radial growth of tested pathogen. In dual culture assay, T. asperellum showed maximum (61.6%) mycelial growth inhibition followed by Bacillus subtilis A (54.3%), T. harzianum HK (51.4%), T. harzianum HM (47.2%) and Bacillus subtilis B (41.5%). Culture filtrate (Extracted metabolites/ nonvolatile metabolites) were proved as more efficient inhibitor of pathogen as compared to volatile metabolites. Nonvolatile metabolites of T. asperellum TH showed maximum inhibition (44.5%) and minimum inhibition showed by Bacillus subtilis B (29.1%) while volatile metabolites of T. asperellum TH showed maximum inhibition (28.3%) and Bacillus subtilis B (11.5%) gave minimum inhibition as compared to other tested biocontrol agents against fruit rot pathogen. Based on results, it is concluded that biocontrol agents have great potential to manage the P. capsici in a better way.