INFLUENCE OF ROOT INOCULATIONS WITH VASICULAR ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZAE AND RHIZOMYX FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF ROOT ROT OF CHICKPEA

Abstract

Chickpea is one of the most important crops grown worldwide including Pakistan. Root diseases are one of the most important limiting factors in chickpea production worldwide. In Pakistan chickpea crop is susceptible to various root pathogenic fungi like Macrophomina phaseolina causing dry root rot and Rhizoctonia solani causing wet root rot. Considerable evidence has been accumulated in recent years to support and identify the benefits associated with the use of vascular arbuscular mycorrhizae in crop protection. In the present study, efficacy of different treatments of Rhizomyx and VAM were checked against root rot of chickpea. It was observed that Rhizomyx and VAM produced significant results in controlling the root pathogenic fungi i.e. by minimizing the percent infection of chickpea root pathogenic fungi to a minimum level 0.5% and 0.10% while applying with R. solani and M. phaseolina respectively. Glomus etunicatum, Glomus mosseae and Rhizomyx inoculation alone and in combination significantly increased shoot fresh weight, plant length and number of pods in plants inoculated with M. phaseolina and R. solani over un-inoculated control, showed positive impact on the plant growth of chickpea, also give remarkable results in reduction of root rot severity index when applied alone and in combination with Rhizomyx. Endophytes colonize the roots of plants similar to that of root pathogenic fungi and biological control with endophytes offers an effective strategy for the management of root pathogenic fungi.