Bioefficacy of Trichoderma as biological control agent against sugarcane wilt

Sugarcane is one of the most important cash crops grown in India. Diseases cause deterioration in the juice quality of infected canes and reduce extraction of sugar. Among the various diseases reported from India, wilt is important disease in sugarcane. The disease is soil as well as sett borne in nature. In recent years, the use of bio-pesticides has gained attention in the management of diseases because of their non-hazardous nature, easily biodegradable and also do not cause bioaccumulation. Some of the most potent isolates of Trichoderma spp. identified from study were tested in lab as well as field condition for disease management of wilt. In a field experiment it was observed that the wilt incidence in the susceptible variety CoLk 97169 was considerably reduced and yield was enhanced in soil application of Trichoderma (20 kg TMC/ha) followed by sett dipping in Trichoderma spore suspension (106 spores/ml) before planting. Trichoderma can be multiplied either on FYM or press mud for its incorporation in sugarcane fields for the management of wilt disease.