<i>Trichoderma</i> based formulations control the wilt disease of chickpea (<i>Cicer arietinum</i> L.) caused by <i>Fusarium oxysporum</i> f. sp. <i>ciceris</i>, better when inoculated as consortia: findings from pot experiments under field condition

In dual culture experiments, all the <i>Trichoderma</i> species effectively reduced the mycelial growth of <i>F. oxysporum</i>. <i>T. asperellum</i>, <i>T. harzianum</i> (strain 1), and <i>T. harzianum</i>(strain 2) declined the mycelial growth of <i>F. oxysporum</i>by 37.6%, 40%, and 42%. In open field pot trials, the infestation of <i>F. oxysporum</i> in chickpea plants significantly reduced the morphological growth of chickpea. However, the application of <i>T. asperellum</i>, <i>T. harzianum</i> (strain 1), and <i>T. harzianum</i> (strain 2), either singly or in the form of consortia, significantly overcome the deleterious effects of the pathogen, thereby resulted in lower DI (22.2% and 11.1%) and DS (86% and 92%), and ultimately improved the shoot length, shoot fresh weight and shoot dry weight by 69% and 72%, 67% and 73%, 68% and 75%, during the years 1 and 2, respectively, in comparison with infested control. The present study concludes the usefulness and efficacy of <i>Trichoderma</i> species in controlling wilt disease of chickpea plants under variable weather conditions.