Journal of Plant Pathology & Microbiology

Abstract

Morphological, Molecular Identification and SSR Marker Analysis of a Potential Strain of Trichoderma/Hypocrea for Production of a Bioformulation

Mohammad Shahid, Mukesh Srivastava, Antima Sharma, Vipul Kumar, Sonika Pandey and Anuradha Singh

Seven different strains of Trichoderma are isolated from wilt infected leguminous crops of an Indian state and tested for their antagonistic activity against Fusarium (soil borne pathogen) which is expressed as a zone of inhibition in the culture plates. The seven strains are identified as Trichoderma viride, T. harzianum, T. asperellum, T. koningii, T. atroviride, T. longibrachiatum, and T. virens. Upon successful identification, morphological description and sequencing of the isolated strains with the help of universal ITS primers, the sequences are submitted to NCBI and allotted with the accession numbers JX119211, KC800922, KC800921, KC800924, KC008065, JX978542 and KC800923, respectively. Genetic variability studies reveal that a percentage of polymorphism in SSRs is obtained within the seven strains of Trichoderma species which is comparatively higher (>77%) than with RAPD primers (~50%). This study aims at selecting the best strain of Trichoderma species (Trichoderma viride 01PP) and then preparing a simple bioformulation that is cheap, easy to apply and readily accessible to the farmers. Shelf life of the prepared bioformulation is even checked for 180 days and it is concluded that the number of propagules start declining from 30th day onwards when the bioformulation is prepared in talc as a carrier material.