Biocontrol of Fusarium wilt of tomato caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici

Five different fungal antagonists viz., Aspergillus terreus, Penicillium cyclopium, Chaetomium globosum, Trichoderma viride and T. harzianum were tested as seedling dip, soil drench and as joint application against Fusarium wilt of tomato caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici. All the antagonists were effective when applied by different methods. Seedling dip in culture filtrate of T. viride gave highest disease control (42.6%) when pathogen was embedded in transplanted pots. This was followed by T. harzianum and C. globosum. However, per cent disease control was marginally better (44.6%) when culture-filtrate of T. viride was used as drenching in pots transplanted with inoculated seedlings. Mass culture of T. harzianum and T. viride simultaneously applied with F. oxysporum f.sp. lycopersici gave highest disease control i.e. 55.6 and 48.0 per cent, respectively.