Efficacy of bio-agents and fungicides against Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc. Causing collar rot in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) In-vitro

In the present investigation, nine commercially available fungicides were tested for their efficacy in inhibiting the growth of the pathogen in vitro. 100 per cent inhibition of mycelial growth of Sclerotium rolfsii was found in the treatment with Cymoxanil 8%+ Mancozeb 64%, Thifluzamide 24%SC, Tebuconazole 50% + Trifloxystrobin 25% WG, Hexaconazole 5% SC, Propiconazole 13.9% + Difenconazole13.9% EC at all three concentrations 50ppm, 100ppm and 150ppm followed by 50.00%, 77.77% and 100% in Famoxadone16.6% + Cymoxanil 22% SC. Minimum 33.33% inhibition of mycelial was found in Thiram at 150ppm concentration. Different potent bio- control agents were evaluated for their antagonistic effect against Sclerotium rolfsii. The maximum mycelial growth inhibition of Sclerotium rolfsii was recorded with Chaetomium globosum 82.6% after 96 hours, which is significantly superior from all the tested bio-agents followed by Pseudomonas fluorescence (76.3%), Trichoderma viridae (72.22%) and Trichoderma harzianum (71.48%). While least mycelial growth inhibition was recorded with Bacillus subtilis (71.11%).