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

  • Mum Eko Department of Plant Pathology, School of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development (SASRD), Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus -797106
  • Hijam Meronbala Devi Department of Plant Pathology, School of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development (SASRD), Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus -797106
  • Susanta Banik Department of Plant Pathology, School of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development (SASRD), Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus -797106
  • Narola Pongener Department of Plant Pathology, School of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development (SASRD), Nagaland University, Medziphema Campus -797106
Keywords: Exserohilum turcicum, phylloplanes, endophytes, antagonist, characterization

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 %).

Published
2022-12-24