Authors : B. M. Sandikar
Page Nos : 141-143
Description :
Six Pseudomonas isolates i.e. P. aeruginosa13, P. aeruginosa 58, P. putida71, P. fluorescens106, P. aeruginosa117, P. aeruginosa154 obtained from rhizosphere of healthy tomato plants with potent antifungal activity against the phytopathogenic Fusarium and Pythium species were used to study biocontrol and growth promotion of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants by pot culture experiments. Nutrient broth cultures of these Pseudomonas isolates were applied by soil amendment and foliar spray. Among the six isolates tested, four isolates i.e. Pseudomonas aeruginosa13, P. aeruginosa 58, P. fluorescens106, and P. aeruginosa154 showed considerable enhancement in wet weight, dry weight, shoot height and root length of tomato plants after 30 days. A direct correlation between the extent of antifungal activity and plant growth promotion was observed. Application of cultures by soil amendment was found more effective to promote tomato plant growth than the foliar spray. We conclude that, the bioformulations prepared by using these four Pseudomonas cultures will be significant to promote the growth and yield of tomato as well as other crops.
Keywords- Pseudomonas; Antifungal activity; Tomato; PGPR.
