EFFICACY OF BIOCONTROL AGENTS ON MYROTHECIUM RORIDUM, THE STEM NECROSIS AND LEAF SPOT PATHOGEN OF COFFEE SEEDLINGS

ABSTRACT Myrothecium roridum, pathogen of coffee seedlings causing stem necrosis and leaf spot particularly during the continuous rains results in seedling loss up to 33%. The present study was taken up to know the efficacy of the native bioagents isolated from coffee rhizosphere soil for the control of M. roridum under in vitro conditions. Efficacy of two Trichoderma and six bacteria was tested in the laboratory conditions. The results of the experiment indicated that both the Trichoderma isolates: Trichoderma harzianum (CRF1) and Trichoderma viride (CRF-2) effectively inhibited the mycelial growth of the pathogen, M. roridum up to 100% and 85% respectively whereas among the six bacterial isolates evaluated, two bacteria viz., Bacillus subtilis (CRB-2) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (CRB-5) were more effective in inhibiting the mycelial growth of the pathogen M. roridum up to 55.50% and 50.60% respectively. The effective bioagents identified from this study could be utilized for in vivo studies to assess their efficacy and to device better control measures for stem necrosis and leaf spot disease of coffee seedlings.