Efficacy of Trichoderma Fortified Organic Amendments on Fusarium Wilt Suppression, Growth and Yield of Eggplant

Trichoderma harzianum is commonly used as effective biological control agent against phytopathogens especially the soil-borne fungi while some isolates are able to ameliorate plant growth. In the present study, Trichoderma fortified with different organic amendments were evaluated to reduce the pre-emergence and post-emergence seedling mortality, diseases of stem and root of eggplant caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. melongenae, a soil-borne fungal pathogen. Two experiments were set up, one at pot culture and second in the field under natural epiphytotic conditions. Among the nine Trichoderm harzianum fortified amendments tested, neem seed cake recorded significant and superior effect as pre-sowing soil application against Fusarium wilt with respect to seed germination (92.33%), pre-emergence seed rot (7.66%) and post-emergence seedling mortality (15.33%) in pot culture. However, cotton cake recorded least efficacy in all respect. Similar trend observed in wilt incidence under field experiments during autumn 2018 (17.47%) and 2019 (18.60%) with T. harzianum fortified neem cake soil application against Fusarium wilt with mean inhibition of disease incidence (58.43%) and also observed excellent enhancement of mean yield (54.63%). It is observed that organic amendment at higher concentrations further increase the microbial populations and stimulate the microbial activity in soil against Fusarium oxysporum resulted to decrease the pathogen populations. Moreover, yield and yield related attributes increased remarkably due to fortified amendments providing adequate nutrient reservoir to the bioagents thereby enhancing its survival in a hostile environment.