Abstract

Khirood Doley and Paramjit Kaur Jite

An investigation was undertaken to evaluate interaction between arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus (Glomus fasciculatum) and Trichoderma species (Trichoderma viride) for their possible role in biological control ability in groundnut plant against soil-borne root pathogen Macrophomina phaseolina which is causal agent of root-rot. For this, groundnut seeds were treated with both AM fungi and Trichoderma singly or in combination of both in presence or absence of pathogen M. phaseolina. In the obtained results, the overall plant growth parameters such as shoot, root length, fresh, dry weight and leaf, pod numbers, disease severity, mycorrhizal dependency, physiological, bio-chemical activities and antioxidant enzyme activities were calculated after 30 and 60 days of sowing. The interaction result showed that the effect of pathogen was significantly reduced due to single or dual inoculation of either AM fungi or Trichoderma in terms of plant growth or disease severity. In defense related physiological, biochemical and antioxidant enzyme activity also showed marked increase due to single or dual inoculations of AM fungi or Trichoderma species. However, the dual inoculations of AM fungi/Trichoderma were more pronounced in increasing overall growth, reducing the disease severity caused by M. phaseolina and bringing about defense related physiological, bio-chemical, antioxidant enzyme activities in the presented pot culture investigation.