Bio-management of Fusarium wilt of tomato (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici) with multifacial Trichoderma species

Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici (FOL), the incitant of the Fusarium wilt of tomato, is a highly damaging and prevalent disease in the majority of tomato growing areas. Keeping into consideration of high disease occurrence and incidence of FOL in tomato crop, the present investigation was undertaken to develop an effective bio-management approach to combat this disease. Initially, the studies were conducted to evaluate six multi-facial biocontrol isolates of Trichoderma species viz., Trichoderma harzianum AMUTH-1, T. harzianum AMUTH-2, T. harzianum AMUTH-3, T. asperellum (= T. viride) AMUTV-1, T. asperellum AMUTV-3 and T. virens (= Gliocladium virens) AMUTS-1 against FOL in vitro. Among these antagonists, T. harzianum AMUTH-1 and T. asperellum AMUTV-3 exhibited the maximum inhibitory effect while T. virens AMUTS-1 was recorded as the least effective Trichoderma isolate against FOL in vitro. Interestingly, T. harzianum AMUTH-1 and T. asperellum AMUTV-3 were found to produce indole acetic acid, siderophore and possess high enzymatic activities (cellulase, chitinase, ligninase and protease) in vitro. Further, pot trials were conducted and the chemical fungicide, carbendazim was used to compare the effectiveness of Trichoderma isolates. Pot trials also verified the efficacy of T. harzianum AMUTH-1 with 9–28% enhancement in the plant-growth parameters and 15–21% biomass production, and 88% decrease in the soil population of FOL. The effect of T. harzianum AMUTH-1 was also at par with fungicides, carbendazim.