Activation of rice plant growth against Rhizoctonia solani using Pseudomonas fluorescens, Trichoderma and Salicylic Acid

From rhizosphere soil of organic farming fields of major vegetable growing tractsof Kerala, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Trichoderma sp. were isolated. The antagonisticactivity of isolates was observed against Rhizoctonia solani. Biological control andhormonal inducers represents an interesting strategy against pathogen especially whenapplied together. Rice plants infected with R. solani were treated with Biocontrol agentsalong with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and/or sprayed with hormonal inducers(Salicylic acid). Plants were harvested on 14 and 28 days after pathogen infection growthrate of the plant was measured. Plants treated with biocontrol agents alone showedmoderate growth. Likewise VAM alone treated plants showed very good result whereascombination of VAM and salicylic acid did not show considerable growth response.Biocontrol agents Trichoderma and P. fluorescens when applied along with salicylic acidshowed appraisable increase in the biometric parameters in rice against R. solani anddecrease the percentage of rate of infection compared with control and other treatments.