Effect of Bio-Priming with Isolates of Fungal Bio Agents on Morphological Attributes and Growth Parameters of Chickpea

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important pulse crops of India. Chickpea is one of the major and abundant sources of protein among pulses; production of chickpea is very low all over the worldwide due to several biotic and abiotic stresses. Biotic stress diseases are the major problems. Chickpea wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri has been considered as devastating one to cause up to 10 per cent loss in yield every year. For eco-friendly and sustainable management of the disease, six isolates of two fungal bioagents Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma viride were evaluated for their antagonistic efficacy on colony growth by dual culture plate method. The results showed that the bio-agents suppressed the colony growth ofpathogen which ranged between 70.80-59.29%. Isolates of T1 [Trichoderma harzianum (KN)] 70.80% was found very effective antagonistic effect compare to all treatments and control followed by T2 [Trichoderma harzianum (VN) which inhibited 68.80%, T3 [Trichoderma harzianum (UNN) 66.45% and T4 [T. viride (FBD)] 63.58% mycelia growth of pathogen and so on. The result of seed treatment in vivo condition showed that T1 found highest germination percent among all the treatments with a value of 85.71%. In all the treatment, substantially boosting the morphology of chickpea against control, the maximum number of branches was recorded in T1, with value of 12 and maximum root length was 13.33 cm with increase 81.85% over the control. In the yield parameter, the highest number of pods was found in T1 with 41 pods, followed by T2 and T3 with 37 and 36 pods, respectively. Result of the study show that bio-agents significantly reduced the wilt incidence, treated plants subsequently significantly increased germination percentage, morphological parameters and yield parameters over the non-treated plants.