Vegetos
(An International Journal of Plant Research & Biotechnology)
In-vitro evaluation of Trichoderma spp. and plant extracts for biological control of Indian Basil diseases
*Article not assigned to an issue yet
Mukherjee Soumik, Mukhopadhyay Ankur, Singh Siddharth, Oraon Susmita, Mondal Goutam
Research Articles | Published: 03 December, 2025
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Keywords: Dual culture, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Plant extract, Poisoned-food, Trichoderma
Abstract
Fungal diseases are a major threat to medicinal crops such as Indian basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), whose quality may be jeopardized by traditional chemical control methods; hence, eco-friendly biological control is being sought after. To address this, a study was conducted in West Bengal’s New Alluvial Zone, where five major diseases, viz., inflorescence blight (Fusarium spp.), three leaf spot diseases (Colletotrichum, Corynespora, and Curvularia spp.), and leaf blight (Alternaria spp.) were reported on Indian basil. In vitro tests were conducted to assess the effectiveness of five Trichoderma isolates (T1–T5) using dual culture assays and five plant extracts, viz., garlic (Allium sativum), turmeric (Curcuma longa), sarpagandha (Rauvolfia serpentina), neem (Azadirachta indica), and bael (Aegle marmelos) using poisoned-food tests. The percentage inhibition of radial mycelial growth of the pathogens was calculated to assess antifungal activity. Among Trichoderma treatments, T3 was most effective against Alternaria, achieving 47.7% radial mycelial growth inhibition, while T2 inhibited the growth of Colletotrichum (48.1%), Corynespora (49.6%), and Fusarium (37.3%). T4 was most effective against Curvularia (59.9% inhibition). Of the plant extracts, turmeric had the highest antifungal activity, with inhibition rates ranging from 38.3% to 87.2% across all pathogens. This indicates that selected Trichoderma isolates (T2, T3, and T4) and turmeric extract hold significant potential as eco-friendly disease management options for O. tenuiflorum, complementing sustainable agriculture and conserving the medicinal value of the crop.
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Author Information
Department of Plant Pathology, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, India