Evaluation of Streptomyces spp. for effective management of Poria hypolateritia causing red root-rot disease in tea plants

Publication date: October 2015 Source:Biological Control, Volume 89 Author(s): Viswanathan Elango, Kolandasamy Manjukarunambika, Ponnusamy Ponmurugan, Subbagoundar Marimuthu A field study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of indigenous biocontrol agents such as Streptomyces griseus and Streptomyces lydicus along with Bacillus subtilis and Trichoderma harzianum for controlling red root rot disease of tea plants. In response to biological treatments, disease incidence, green leaf yield, biometric and physiological parameters and organoleptic characters of made tea were assessed. Among the thirteen treatments tested, soil drenching of carbendazim was superior in terms of reducing red root rot incidence followed by combination of S. griseus and T. harzianum recorded in two consecutive field experiments. In contrast, the maximum green leaf yield and plant growth was achieved in soil application of these biocontrol agents. However, the performance of this dual combination of biocontrol agents was on par with systemic fungicide in terms of disease control. Correspondingly, the biometric, physiological and biochemical parameters were also considerably increased in biologically treated plants when compared to untreated control. The disease increased from 38.7% to 47.6% in untreated control plots and those plants were unhealthy in terms of leaf yellowing, stunted growth with heavy flowering, drying of branches and sudden death of bushes. The tea quality parameters such...

Source: Biological Control - August 17, 2015 Category: Biology Source Type: research