In vitro Evaluation of Trichoderma spp. Biosynthesized Silver Nanoparticles against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. udum Causing Wilt of Pigeonpea

Pigeonpea wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. udum is one of most devasting disease. Biological control methods, especially those involving antagonist fungi such as Trichoderma spp., are gaining importance due to their eco-friendly and sustainable nature. Nanotechnology involves designing and applying materials at the nanoscale. The use of fungi to create nanoparticles in nanotechnology is called mycosynthesis. Silver nanoparticles, known for their large surface area, antimicrobial and optical properties & can be synthesized through biological techniques using Trichoderma harzianum and Trichoderma koningii. In this experiment, isolation of test pathogen done through tissue isolation technique and pathogenicity was proved using sick soil method. In in vitro efficacy of Trichoderma spp. biosynthesized silver nanoparticles at different concentrations (250 ppm, 500 ppm, 750 ppm and 1000 ppm) as well as their culture filtrates at 500 ppm were evaluated by poisoned food technique, against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. udum causing wilt of pigeonpea. The results showed that, the Trichoderma harzianum silver nanoparticles @ 1000 ppm was most effective with least mycelial growth (34.6 mm) and significantly highest mycelial inhibition (61.55 %), followed by Trichoderma koningii silver nanoparticles @ 1000 ppm (42.16 mm and 53.14%), T. harzianum silver nanoparticles @ 750 ppm (49.66 mm and 44.81 %),T. koningii silver nanoparticles @ 750 ppm (57.30 mm and 36.32 %),T. harzianum silver nanoparticles @ 500 ppm (61.36 mm and 31.81 %) and T. koningii silver nanoparticles @ 500 ppm (65.66 mm and 27.03 %), respectively over control.