Abstract

Kamran Khomeini, Rostam Daneshjoo, Mousavi Rosie Nasr and Mahmoud Bakhtiar

The capability of Trichoderma (T.) harzianum (T1), T. asperellum (T2) and T. virens (T3) as bio control agents for two pathogens of chickpea roots, Fusarium solani and Fusarium oxysporum were evaluated alone or in combination under field and greenhouse conditions. Chickpea planted in artificial soil infested with pathogens F. solani and F. oxysporum were treated with T1, T2, T3, T1+T2, T1+T3, T2+T3, T1+T2+T3. Our results indicated that the best biocontrol treatment occurred in groups infested with F. solani and treated with T1+T2+T3 (84%), followed by groups exposed to F. oxysporum with the same treatment (83%). The least effective group was roots infested with both Fusarium spp. and treated with T. virens (T3). It is concluded that although all bio control agents that were applied individually reduced disease incidence, synthetic treatments showed a more protective effect as a biocontrol for chickpea fields exposed to F. solani and F. oxysporum under greenhouse condition.