Isolation and evaluation of effective fungal antagonist against Northern leaf blight of maize

Abstract

A total of ten phylloplane fungi has been isolated from healthy leaves of maize by leaf washing method viz. M. Phy-01, M. Phy-02 (Trichoderma sp. 1), M. Phy-03 (Trichoderma sp. 2), M. Phy-04 (Penicillium sp.), M. Phy-05 (Fusarium sp.), M. Phy-06 (Aspergillus niger), M. Phy-07, M. Phy-08 (Trichoderma sp. 3), M. Phy- 09 (Fusarium oxysporum) and M. Phy -10 (Alternaria sp.). As well as a total of eight endophytic fungi were isolated from healthy leaves of maize by surface sterilization method and those were M. Endo-01 (Mucor sp.), M. Endo-02, M. Endo-03, M. Endo- 04, M. Endo-05, M. Endo-06 (Fusarium sp.), M. Endo-07 and M. Endo-08 (Pythium sp.). Isolated fungi were characterized on the basis of their cultural morphological characters and microscopic view of conidia and condiophores. Determination of their antagonistic activity against the pathogen (E. turcicum) causing Northern leaf blight of maize was done by dual culture method, in which phylloplane fungi Trichoderma sp. 1 with 56.11% has the highest inhibition percentage followed by Trichoderma sp. 2 with 54.04% and lowest inhibition percentage was found in genera of Alternaria sp. with 20.70 %. Among the endophytic fungi, Mucor sp. with 75.55% was found to have highest inhibition percentage followed by Fusarium sp. with inhibition percentage of 47.79 % and lowest percentage of inhibition was found in M. Endo-03 (13.96 %).