Cultural and morphological characters of Trichoderma harzianum isolates and its antagonistic activity against soil borne plant pathogens

Fungi in the genus Trichoderma are among the most promising biocontrol agents against plant-pathogenic fungi. Specific strain have ability to control a range of pathogens under a variety of environmental conditions. In this study, total six isolates of Trichoderma harzianum were studied. Three were isolated from rhizosphere soil of different places i.e., TH2, TH3, TH4 and three isolates procured from different places i.e., TH1, TH5 and TH6 were characterized for their cultural, morphological and antagonistic activity against soil borne plant pathogens. Isolate of T. harzianum i.e. TH1, TH3, TH4, TH5, TH6 showed ampuliform phialides and isolate TH2 showed langiform shape phialides. Different isolates showed different cultural and morphological characters. Antagonistic effect of Trichoderma harzianum isolates i.e., TH1, TH2, TH3, TH4, TH5 And TH6 against soil borne plant pathogens such a Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lini, Rhizoctonia bataticola and Sclerotium rolfsii by dual culture assay, the isolate TH1 showed highest Per cent inhibition against F. oxysporum f.sp. ciceri (72.59%) and F. oxysporum f.sp. lini (64.67%) and TH2 showed highest inhibition against Rhizoctonia bataticola (64.33%) and Sclerotium rolfsii (73.88%). The isolate TH1 and TH 2 showed highest antagonistic activity followed by TH3, TH4, TH5 and TH6.