Antagonistic potential of phylloplane Bacillus subtilis PBs4 isolate against grain mold fungi of sorghum in India

In India grain mold disease incited by a number of saprophytic fungi is a major disease of sorghum that results into qualitative as well as quantitative loss of produce due to infection of maturing grains. Use of chemical fungicides on maturing grains may impose serious health hazards, therefore, use of antagonistic microbes may provide an effective alternative to contain this serious problem. In vitro assessment of Bacillus subtilis isolates collected from phylloplane of sorghum, rice, cotton, soybean, pigeonpea and chilli was done by dual culture method for their potential antagonism against major grain mold fungal pathogens of sorghum i.e. Fusarium moniliforme, Alternaria alternata, Curvularia lunata and Phoma sorghina. Amongst the six Bacillus isolates, maximum inhibition of mycelial growth was registered by PBs4 against F. moniliforme (75.99%), A. alternata (81.86%), C. lunata (78.09%) and P. sorghina (67.68%) followed by PBs3 and PBs2 indicating maximum antagonistic potential of Bacillus subtilis PBs4 against sorghum grain mold causing fungi.