BIO-CONTROL OF FUSARIUM WILT OF PEPPER {CAPSICUM ANNUM (LINN.)} WITH GLOMUS MOSSEAE TRCHODERMA VIRIDE

Abstract

Resistant effect of Glomus mosseae (mycorrhiza) and Trichoderma viride (a saprophytic fungus) as bio-control agent against Fusarium wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum in pepper was studied in a greenhouse experiment. Growth parameters were used to measure the resistant effect of the antagonists, pepper seedlings were found to be more susceptible to the pathogenic (Fusarium oxysporum) infection, especially those inoculated singly with Fusarium oxysporum which wilted off 3 weeks after inoculation. Whereas, those used for simultaneous inoculation of Glomus mosseae (mycorrhiza) and Fusarium oxysporum (pathogen); and concomitant inoculation of Glomus mosseae (mycorrhiza) 2 weeks before pathogenic inoculation, were observed to survive the transplanting shock and had better growth with regards to height. Also, all inoculations involving Trichoderma viride (either singly simultaneously or concomitantly)survived,except the concomitant inoculation where pathogen (Fusarium oxysporum) was first inoculated before Trichoderma viride inoculation. Plants inoculated concomitantly with mycorrhiza first before pathogen had the best values of growth parameter compared to the control, single and simultaneous inoculations. Generally, observation from the study shows that mycorrhiza (Glomus mosseae) and Trichoderma viride reduced the disease incidence of Fusarium wilt of pepper at different conditions of treatments.