Studies on Compatibility of Trichoderma Harzianum and Pseudomonas Fluorescens in Wheat Crop Under Water Deficit Condition

Abstract

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) the world’s most important food crop , serve as the prime item in the diet of millions of people. Production of wheat in India is limited by several biotic and abiotic stresses. In present situation of climate changes, all crops including wheat are facing extreme, water deficit condition, which adversely affects crop growth and yield. Present studies have been focused to investigate the effect of antagonist fungus and bacteria viz. Trichoderma harzianum and Pseudomonas fluorescens for the management of drought stress in wheat. Among different substrate including some of farm wastes and residues viz. wheat straw, wheat straw + rice husk, rice straw, sugarcane bagasse, sugarcane pressmud, bajra grains + wheat straw, sorghum grains + rice husk, chick pea flour + wheat straw, rotten cow dung + unrotten cow dung, the sorghum grains + rice husk was best growth substrate for T. harzianum and chickpea flour + wheat straw was best substrate for P. flourescens at 70 per cent moisture was appropriate for the growth and mass multiplication of both the antagonist. In field experiments Monocern (Pencycuron) + T. harzianum (IRRI-1) and Monocern (Pencycuron) + Pseudomonas flourescens (PF-28) were most effective for enhancing the plant growth. Both these strains of T. harzianum and Pseudomonas flourescens were also quite effective in enhancing the level of chlorophyll content and relative water content in wheat as well which are ultimately effective in mitigating the effect of water shortage in the wheat crop. The incidence and severity of yellow rust in wheat were also found to be reduced due to the seed bio-priming of wheat with T. harzianum (IRRI-1) and Pseudomonas flourescens (PF-28) Among the fungicide Prolifer (Fluopicolide) and Monocern (Pencycuron) were found to be most compatible with T. harzianum. De-oiled cakes of cotton was most compatible with both the antagonists i.e. T. harzianum and P. fluorescens as there was highest recovery of both the antagonist from wheat rhizosphere when they were applied as mixed formulation with cotton cakes. Some selected strains of T. harzianum and P. fluorescens viz. IRRI-1, PF-2, SV-3 and SV-30 were most effective in mitigating the drought (water scarcity) of different magnitude i.e. ten, fifteen and twenty days. These antagonists were also quite effective in enhancing the tillering and other plant growth attributes which ultimately manifested in yield enhancement.