INTERACTION BETWEEN VA-MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI AND SOIL - BORNE PLANT PATHOGENS OF CHICKPEA

A pot culture experiment was conducted to see the efficacy of mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus mosseael for the control of soil-borne plant pathogens of chickpea. Dual inoculations with mycorrhiza and test pathogens (R. bataticola, R. solani and F. oxysporum f.sp. ciceni) increased the seed germination, plant height, number of pods, seed weight and biomass production as compared to inoculations with pathogen alone. Mycorrhizal inoculations suppressed the incidence of wilt and root rot disease by 54% and 62%, respectively. Sporocarp number and mycorrhizal colonization was also reduced by the dual inoculation as compared to inoculation with mycorrhiza alone. Inoculation with R. bataticola + R. solani along with G. mosseae resulted in highest reduction (65%) in mycorrhizal colonization. while R. solani with G. f!1osseae resulted in minimum reduction (39°C in mycorhizal colonization. Mycorrhizal inoculation resulted in better colonization of roots with VAM and thereby caused reduction in the uptake of nutrients (N, P, K and Zn) in chickpea plants.