Evaluating novel microbe amended composts as biocontrol agents in tomato

An investigation was conducted to evaluate the potential of antagonistic cyanobacteria/bacterial cultures amended compost and compost tea preparations for suppressing diseases caused by plant pathogenic fungi Fusarium oxysporum, Pythium debaryanum, Pythium aphanidermatum and Rhizoctonia solani in tomato. Two types of microbe-fortified composts and the compost tea preparations, along with the recommended biological control (Trichoderma formulation) and chemical control (Thiram-Carbendazim), were used for inoculating the potting mixture. Comparative performance of the treatments revealed the superiority of both the composts/compost tea preparations in enhancing seed germination, seedling length and biomass in the fungi challenged treatments. The most effective control of the diseases was obtained by the composts amended with Anabaena oscillarioides C12 and Bacillus subtillis B5 and the compost tea preparations. Both treatments provided significantly better control than the other treatments in terms of reduction in disease severity, reduction of fungal load and enhancement of plant parameters. Our study reveals the efficacy of microbe-fortified composts for use in control of the studied root diseases caused by phytopathogenic fungi.

Research highlights
► Novel microbe amended composts and compost tea, with paddy straw compost as carrier developed.
► Promise of synergistic cyanobacterium-bacterium combination for amending compost.
► Effective biocontrol potential against fungal damping off /rot rots disease in tomato.
► These formulations also exhibited plant growth promoting potential.