Effect of zoysiagrass rhizosphere fungal isolates on disease suppression and growth promotion of rice seedlings

Abstract

Some rhizosphere fungal isolates belonging to Phoma, Penicillium, Trichoderma and Fusarium were evaluated to control Fusarium and Rhizopus blights and bakanae diseases of rice seedlings. Among the isolates, Phoma spp. GS8-2, GS6-4 and GS10-2 showed 74–89% reduction of severity of Fusarium blight in rice seedlings. In case of Rhizopus blight, Phoma spp. GS8-2, GS6-4 and GS12-2 and Trichoderma harzianum GT3-2 reduced disease severity to 81–93%. Phoma sp. GS12-2 was the most effective isolate in controlling bakanae disease (90% reduction in disease severity). The effect of the tested isolates on the growth of rice seedlings varied significantly in terms of fresh and dry weight in rice trays. However, Phoma sp. GS12-2 effectively increased fresh and dry weight of shoots to 40 and 30%, respectively, compared with untreated control plants. In contrast, Phoma sp. GS6-4, T. harzianum GT3-2 and Penicillium sp. GP17-1 showed inhibitory effect to shoot growth of rice seedlings.