Abstract
Plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are associated with plant roots and augment plant productivity and immunity by reducing fertilizer application rates and nutrient runoff. Studies were conducted to evaluate bell pepper transplants amended with formulation of consortium of two indigenous PGPR isolates (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus) in terms of increase in yield and disease resistance under field conditions. Transplants were planted into plots treated by NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium), fungicides, soil solarization, MeBr fumigation, PGPR and untreated soil. Treatments were assessed for incidence of soil-borne phytopathogens viz. Phytophthora capsici and Colletotrichum sp. Highly significant increases in bell pepper transplant growth occurred in response to formulations of PGPR isolates. Transplant vigor and survival in the field were also improved by PGPR treatments. Consortium of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus reduced disease incidence of damping off by 1.81% and anthracnose by 1.75%. Numbers of colony forming units of Phytophthora capsici and Colletotrichum sp. were significantly higher in all plots than those treated with PGPR consortium. Incidence of seed rot and seedling blight on bell pepper was significantly lower in PGPR-treated plots and highest in untreated plots. Total fruit yield of bell pepper increased by 379.36% with PGPR consortium (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus pumilus).
Highlights
Capsicum annuum L. commonly called bell or sweet pepper is among the most popular vegetable crop cultivated worldwide
Damping off and anthracnose caused by Phytophthora capsici and Colletotrichum spp. respectively, are major devastative and destructive diseases which drastically reduces potential crop yields [2]
Damping off is a soil-borne fungal disease of seedlings caused by Phytopthora which can be the bane of the amateur seed and occurs on the seeding table when young plants are just beginning to grow
Summary
Capsicum annuum L. commonly called bell or sweet pepper is among the most popular vegetable crop cultivated worldwide. The tissue becomes soft resulting in wilting of the plant and its fall over its base [3] Anthracnose is another common disease and is caused by the fungus Colletotrichum called ripe-fruit rot. Many researchers found that among selected PGPR isolates, four significantly decreased gray leaf spot disease severity with PGPR Brevibacterium iodinum (KUDC1716) providing the highest disease suppression in bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) [10] In another greenhouse study, lower degrees of root rot and taller plants were found by the application of Burkholderia cepacia (BRB21) in pepper [11]. Second is to test the efficacy of a consortium in controlling damping off and anthracnose diseases in bell pepper under field conditions
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