Management of root rot of pea (Pisum sativum L.) through bioagents

Abstract

Root rot of pea is assuming the status of major disease in Kashmir. The diseased plants showed poor growth, yellowing and drying of foliage with partially or fully damaged root system. The pathogen associated with the disease was identified as Fusarium solani f.sp.pisi (Jones) Synder and Hansen. The dual culture studies of four biocontrol agents revealed that Trichoderma harzianum exhibited highest inhibition percentage of 78.60 followed by Trichoderma viride (75.72%), Gliocladium virens (69.52%) and Pseudomonas fluorescence (68.37%). P. fluorescence was the only biocontrol agent which showed zone of inhibition in dual culture. Seed treatment with biocontrol agents revealed the highest germination percentage in pots treated with T. harzianum and carbendazim (90% each) followed by T. viride (86%), P. fluorescence (83%) and G. virens (82%) while it was 61 per cent in control. T. harzianum treated seeds took a least 7.26 days to germinate followed by T. viride (7.32 days), carbendazim (7.34 days), P. fluorescence (7.37 days) and G. virens (7.53 days) as against 7.88 in control. Disease incidence and severity was lowest in the pots treated with carbendazim (14.64 and 4.98%) followed by T. harzianum(21.30 and 10.94%), T. viride (25.30 and 12.02%), P. fluorescence (29.28 and 14.98%) and G. virens (38.64 and 17.58%) whereas in control it was 54.64 and 32.02%, respectively. Key words: Pea, Fusarium solani f.sp. pisi, root rot, biological control.