Impact of Trichoderma Strains Isolated from Pulses Rhizosphere on Plant Growth Promotion of Chickpea

Utkarsh Singh Rathore^1,2*, Rudra Pratap Singh¹, Sonika Pandey² and R.K. Mishra²

¹Division of Plant Pathology, Bhagwant University, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India

²Division of Crop Protection, ICAR-Indian Institute of Pulses Research, Kanpur, India

Corresponding Author E-mail: singh.utkarsh14991@gmail.com

Abstract:

Twenty one isolates of Trichoderma spp. were isolated from the rhizosphere of chickpea were evaluated for salt and thermo tolerance, plant growth promoter and antagonists to Rhizoctonia bataticola causing dry root rot in chickpea. Eleven isolates (Tr5, Tr6, Tr8, Tr9, Tr10, Tr11, Tr13, Tr16, Tr17, Tr20 and Tr21) exhibited high antagonistic activity against R. bataticola (more that 70% inhibition of fungal growth). Our findings indicated significant correlation between plant growth promotion of chickpea and antagonism against dry root rot. Four isolates namely Tr11, Tr10, Tr20 & Tr13 showed more tolerance to salt having less than 60% reduction in growth at 10% NaCl. Eight isolates namely Tr20, Tr19, Tr17, Tr10, Tr11, Tr12, Tr13 and Tr9 were most thermotolerant with mycelium growth of more than 4cm at 35⸰C compared to remaining isolates. Three isolates Tr11(Trichoderma afroharzianum), Tr13 (Trichoderma asperellum) and Tr20 (Trichoderma asperellum) were most promising having fungal antagonistic activity along with growth promoting parameters, salinity and thermo tolerance.

Keywords:

Biocontrol; Plant Growth Promotion; Salinity Tolerance; Thermotolerant; Trichoderma

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