Performance of Rice-Lentil Cropping Under Different Tillage Influencing Soil Suppressiveness: A Short Term Approach

Abstract

AbstractDue to causal agents hidden status soil borne pathogens control are difficult. 10–20% annually crop yield losses, because of soil borne pathogen among exists other plant pathogens. Due to melanized sclerotia, higher genetic variability, varied host range and preferable environment these fungal survive a long term in soil. Soil physical property and microbial population influence the suppressiveness and conduciveness of soil towards soil-borne plant pathogens. Spreading rate of soil-borne pathogen depends on different biotic and abiotic factors. A diverse microbial habitat can be control through long term alternation of tillage management. Keeping these points this investigation was undertaken with the objectives of soil microbiological parameters influenced by different tillage management practices associated with Sclerotium rolfsii disease suppressiveness. Three types of tillage (Conventional, minimal and zero tillage) were applied in paddy harvested fields where then S. rolfsii susceptible crop lentil was transplanted. Collar rot disease incidence, infection foci and sclerotial population was found to be least in zero tillage condition. Temporal changes in microbiological parameters viz., FDA and dehydrogenase activities were found to be higher in zero tillage condition and least activities was noticed under conventional tillage condition. Higher population of total bacteria, Pseudomonas and Actinomyces were observed under zero tillage condition, whereas, Bacillus and total fungi were found to be higher in conventional tillage but Trichoderma abundance are variable in different tillage system. The twelve isolates, isolated from experimental field, showed potential antagonistic efficacy in between 27.29 and 71.43% against the tested fungal pathogen, Sclerotium rolfsii. Most of the antagonistic bacteria were found to produce secondary metabolites but ZTS27, ZTS9 and MTS39 were potential antagonistic against S. rolfsii in terms of theirhighly productivity of secondary metabolites such as HCN, NH3, siderophore production, SA, IAA, P-sol, protease, cellulose, amylase, pectinase and seedling vigor index by means of plant growth promotion.KeywordsMelanized sclerotiaMicrobial enzymatic activityMinimum tillageSoil borne pathogen