Response of seed endophytic bacteria for the management of chickpea wilt, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris

Abstract

Vascular wilts are devastating plant diseases that can affect both annual crops as well as woody perennials, hence inducing major food losses and damaging valuable natural ecosystems. Because of ecological and economic reasons, the management of vascular wilt diseases by conventional chemical methods is raising concerns. More environmentally friendly alternatives such as the use of microbial antagonist to control phytopathogens are now of growing interest. The fact that bacterial endophytes are able to colonize an ecological niche similar to that of vascular wilt pathogens favours them as potential biocontrol agents against wilt diseases. Several possible disease suppression mechanisms of beneficial bacteria were proposed, among them induction of systemic resistance, growth promotion and competition. In this view, we studied out the seed endophytic bacteria (SEB) for the management of chickpea wilt Caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris. Among the treatment of seed entophytic bacterial isolate in SEB-5 was found highest germination percent (92% in JG 11), minimum mortality percent at pre and post–emergence (7.69 and 9.53% in JG 11 and JG 16, respectively). The minimum total mortality percent 17.82 % was found in JG 11 of SEB-5. The other seed entophytic bacterial isolate were found statistically at par with SEB-5. The minimum germination percent (78.5% in JG 62) as well as highest total mortality percent approximate 58% in JG 11 was found in T₆ (treated control). Similarly, all the treatments of seed entophytic bacterial had higher root length and shoot length as compared to T_6. Among the treatments the SEB-5 was found significantly highest by 23 cm in root length and 48 cm in shoot length as well as highest vigour index (6613) over the T₆ in JG 11 variety. Among the varieties grown the JG 11 was perfumed better and found resistant and JG 62 was found susceptible to wilt. The treatment of seed endophytic bacterial isolate SEB-5, SEB-3, SEB-2, SEB-1 and SEB-4 was identified against wilt pathogen in reduce disease incidence, plant mortality and severity as well as promoting plant growth and health.