Biological control of banana wilt caused by fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc.

ABSTRACT

The population dynamics of fungi in banana field soil, antibiotic potentiality of the soil fungi and antifungal ability of some plant extracts against Fusarium solani was studied. Maximum number of colonies were isolated during the month of November. The genus Aspergillus, Pencillium, Trichoderma, and Fusarium were isolated most frequently. Antibiotic interaction of the soil fungi against F.solani was performed. The test pathogen varied in its sensitivity to the metabolic growth products of antagonistic fungi. The maximum percentage of inhibition of pathogen was 85% against T.viride and 75% of inhibition was against A.niger. Culture filtrate of the soil fungi and the suppression of F.solani was observed. The maximum percentage of suppression of pathogen was observed against T.viride and A.niger at 20 per cent concentration level. The leaves of medicinal plant extract such as Adathoda vasica, Azadirachta indica and Vitex negundo was more effective at 20% concentration against the pathogen was reported. The leaf extracts (Adathoda vasica, Azadirachta indica and Vitex negundo) with culture filtrate of Trichoderma viride in combination of 11 ratio was more effective at 20 per cent level against the F.solani. However, the combined treatment of A.vasica and T.viride was more effective in controlling the pathogen F.solani causing wilt disease of banana.