TY - BOOK AU - Gleena Mary C F AU - Sally K Mathew (Guide) TI - Efficacy of ligno-phenolic compost in the suppression of soil borne plant pathogens U1 - 632.3 PY - 2015/// CY - Vellanikkara PB - Department of plant pathology, College of horticulture KW - Plant pathology N1 - PhD N2 - The study on the “Efficacy of ligno-phenolic compost in the suppression of soil borne plant pathogens” was carried out at College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during 2011 -2014. The major objectives were to develop a microbial consortium for rapid composting of lignintannin rich agrowastes and also to study the effect of these composts on the management of leaf blight of amaranth and bacterial wilt of tomato. Sample of soils and partially degraded substrates were collected from 15 sources of 34 locations. Among them, ayurvedic wastes yielded maximum population of cellulose and lignin degraders whereas, tannin degraders were more in the samples of teak plantation. A total of 378 microbial degraders were isolated which included 125 cellulose, 133 lignin and 120 tannin degraders. Actinomycetes were the predominant degraders of cellulose and fungi were dominant among both lignin and tannin with majority belonged to Aspergillus spp. and Penicilium spp. In vitro evaluation of degraders on respective selective media showed diffusion zones more than 4cm by 31 cellulose, 39 lignin and 33 tannin degraders. Fungi were the most efficient degraders of cellulose, lignin and tannin. Thirty five degraders found effective on their respective selective media showed ability to degrade all the three chemical components. In vitro decomposition of 33 degraders on respective host substrates recorded lowest maturity periods of 40 and 43 days for the degraders isolated from ayurvedic waste and coir pith. The degraders, ALF-26, CLF-13, CCB-8, ECF-2, ECA-8, TLF-8, CaLF-5 and ATY-1were most effective on their respective host substrates and also on other tested lignintannin rich substrates in vivo. All the 22 selected degraders were found mutually compatible. Based on the ability to degrade all the three chemical components, early maturity of composting, type and species of organisms and mutual compatibility, 10 degraders viz. Trichoderma harzianum, Paecilomyces variotii, Penicillium oxalicum, P. chrysogenum, Talaromyces sp., Streptomyces albus, S. niveus, Arthrobacter sp. and Massilia sp.were selected for the formulation of microbial consortium. Screening of selected consortium under in vitro and in vivo condition showed early maturity of 35 and 43 days in mixed substrate followed by coir pith with 35 and 45 days. In large scale composting of various agrowastes with microbial consortium, cow dung slurry and the combination of both, the minimum maturity period was observed with microbial consortium as compared to other treatments recording 30, 35, 40 and 55 days for mixed substrate, coir pith, ayurvedic waste and leaf litters respectively. Composting with microbial consortium resulted in drastic reduction of C:N ratio of the composts with 47 -81 per cent reduction from the initial and the lowest in ayurvedic compost (10.4:1) .Composts treated with microbial consortium recorded neutral to alkaline pH and high contents of N, P and K with maximum N and P in ayurvedic and K in coir pith compost. Traces of lead detected in all compost samples were below the permissible limits. Composting with consortium showed reduction in cellulose, lignin and tannin contents with maximum reduction in ayurvedic (49.38 %), coir pith (49.02%) and leaf litter composts (98.95%) respectively. The degraders of the consortium were thermophilic and recorded extra cellular enzyme activities of cellulase, lignin peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, amylase, catalase, protease and xylanase. The selected degraders showed antagonism against six major soil borne pathogens viz. Pythium sp., Phytophthora sp., Rhizoctonia sp., Fusarium sp., Sclerotium sp. and Ralstonia solanacearum and T. harzianum was the most effective one. In the field evaluation of various composts in the management of bacterial wilt of tomato and leaf blight of amaranth, application of ayurvedic compost was effective in reducing both diseases. In addition, coir pith and leaf litter composts also reduced bacterial wilt incidence and mixture compost in case of leaf blight UR - http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810109629 ER -