The fungal population in soils of mango and litchi orchards was studied on Peptone dextrose rose bengal agar medium using dilution plate technique. The population of total fungi in different soil samples of mango and litchi orchrd of Pusa and Birauli ranged from 9.00 X103 cfu/g of soil to 9.60 X103 cfu/g of soil. The population of total fungi in different soil samples did not differ significantly. In soil samples of KVK, Birauli, population of Trichodrma (ranged from 2.50-2.60 cfu/g soil) while in the the soil samples of RAU, Pusa it ranged from 3.3- 3.6 cfu/g soil. The result indicated that population of Trichodrma is available in all soil samples with varying population. Five isolates of T. harzianum such as Th1, Th2, Th3, Th4 and Th5 were compared for their capability of antagonism towards S. rolfsii in dual culture. T. harzianum isolate 4 proved best in dual culture and parasitized the colony of S. rolfsii earliest. T.hazianum 4 also showed maximum inhibition in formation of sclerotia of S. rolfsii (73.30%) in dual culture. Viability studies on mycelium and sclerotia of S. rolfsii in dual culture with T. harzianum in antagonized plate revealed lysisof both mycelium and sclerotia.
Md Shahzaman Ahsan, Mukesh Kumar, JP Upadhyay, Md. Minnatullah, Abhinandan Singh. Identification of potential isolates of trichoderma antagonist to sclerotium rolfsii in the garden soil of litchi and mango orchard.. J Entomol Zool Stud 2018;6(4):383-388.