EFFECT OF MICROBIAL CONSORTIUM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF STALK ROT OF MAIZE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OF POTASSIUM
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Date
2022-04-13
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UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES, BANGALORE
Abstract
The actinomycete isolated from maize rhizosphere soil was identified as Streptomyces rochei CMB47 with 98.60 per cent similarity. The bioinoculants viz., Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma viride were obtained from the Department of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Agriculture, V. C. Farm, Mandya and used in this study. In vitro screening of four bioinoculants was done by dual culture method against Fusarium verticillioides, a maize stalk rot pathogen. The per cent
growth inhibition by B. subtilis (67.06 %), P. fluorescens (49.11 %), T. viride (48.08 %) and S. rochei CMB47 (59.07 %) was measured. The microbial consortium was developed by using four bioinoculants. A field experiment was conducted at ZARS, V. C. Farm, with thirteen treatments consisting of various potassium levels (0, 75, 100, and 125 percent of RDK), microbial consortium and F. verticillioides. The pathogen was inoculated at 60 DAS and after seven days microbial consortium was applied. Potassium
at 125 % recommended dose + microbial consortium + F. verticillioides (T10) and 100 % RDK + consortium + F. verticillioides (T7) recorded lower stalk rot incidence (disease rating scale) of 2.27 and 2.87 respectively. These treatments recorded significantly higher growth, kernel yield (7.76 and 7.73 tons/ha) and stalk yield (11.83 and 11.79 tons/ha). T10 and T7 had highest cost-benefit ratio of 2.12 each, showed reduced disease incidence, improved growth and yield. Absolute control has showed lowest growth and yield. The microbial consortium consisting of bioinoculants improve disease control, crop growth and yield.