ANTAGONISTIC POTENTIAL OF SOIL FUNGI AGAINST COLLETOTRICHUM GLOEOSPORIODES (PENZ .) SACC., THE CAUSAL AGENT OF ANTHRACNOSE OF RAUWOLFIA SERPENTINA (L.) BENTH. EX KURZ

Abstract

Four antagonistic fungi Aspergillus flavus Link, A. fumigatus Fresenius, A.
niger van Tiegh. and Trichoderma viride Pers. were isolated from field soil of
Rauwolfia serpentina by serial dilution method and selected to evaluate their
antagonistic potentiality against Colletotrichum gloeosporiodes (Penz.) Sacc, the
causal agent of anthracnose of Rauwolfia serpentina (L.) Benth. ex Kurz following
dual culture colony interaction, volatile and non-volatile metabolites. In dual
culture method Trichoderma viride showed maximum (84.28%) inhibition of test
fungi followed by Aspergillus niger (77.39%), A. fumigatus (43.71%) and A. flavus
(29.32%). Volatile metabolites of T. viride showed higher (77.64%) inhibition of
test fungi followed by A. flavus (75.58%), A. fumigatus (60.88%) and A. niger
(58.23%). Non-volatile metabolites of antagonistic fungi showed that A. flavus
showed (94.42%) inhibition of test fungus followed by T. viride (90.90%), A. niger
(86.13%) and A. fumigatus (73.73%). Aspergillus flavus, A. niger and T. viride may
be exploited commercially as a biocontrol agent against anthracnose disease of R.
serpentina.