Journal of Plant Pathology & Microbiology

Abstract

Screening of Resistant Varieties and Antagonistic Fusarium oxysporum for Biocontrol of Fusarium Wilt of Chilli

Mamta Joshi, Rashmi Srivastava, Anil Kumar Sharma and Anil Prakash

Chilli is an important vegetable/spice, and its socio-cultural role is remarkable worldwide. The enormous popularity and demand for chilli is providing a boost to the chilli industry, but its production is increasingly constrained by diseases. Chilli producers have reported Fusarium wilt, as the frequently encountered disease. The present investigation focuses on biological control, which is found effective to manage this disease.

A survey was conducted at Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh states in India, for collection of soil and plant samples. A total of eighty isolates of Fusarium were isolated from these samples. Among these, forty eight isolates of Fusarium oxysporum were identified on the basis of morphological and molecular characteristics, using speciesspecific primers. Pathogenicity test on chilli was conducted. One isolate of F. oxysporum was found most virulent pathogen, while eleven isolates were non- pathogenic isolates. Isolate no. 65 was found most antagonistic towards F. oxysporum, under in-vitro dual culture assay. Thirty chilli varieties were screened for evaluation of resistance. Among these, two varieties were found resistant against the Fusarium wilt. The present investigation focused on recovery of antagonistic Fusarium and resistant varieties of chilli, for controlling and resisting wilt and improving the soil health.