Biological Control Potential of Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Root Inoculant (VAMRI) and associated phosphate solubilizing bacteria, Pseudochrobactrum asaccharolyticum against soilborne phytopathogens of Onion (Allium cepa L. var. Red Creole)

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Vesicular-Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Root Inoculant (VAMRI) is composed of Glomus mosseae and fasciculatum and is capable of replacing 50–100% of the plant’s chemical fertiliser requirement and has been reported to confer disease resistance against soil-borne phytopathogens. In this study, the biocontrol potential of VAMRI in co-inoculation with Alcaligenes sp., a phosphate solubilising bacteria (PSB), Lichtheimia sp., a phosphate solubilising fungi (PSF) and Brevibacterium sp., a nitrogen-fixing bacteria (NFB) isolated from VAMRI is tested against Sclerotium rolfsii. (BIOTECH 3445), Fusarium oxysporum (BIOTECH 3447), and Rhizoctonia solani (BIOTECH 3446). Treatments applied with VAMRI generally were able to significantly reduce disease incidence and severity (P < 0.05). Specifically, co-inoculation of PSF (Lichtheimia sp.) showed the highest potential for biocontrol against F. oxysporum and S. rolfsii while for R. solani, inoculation of PSF alone is more effective. Thus, co-inoculation of plant growth promoting microorganisms with biocontrol activity along with mycorrhiza is a viable strategy in the control of soil-borne phytopathogens.