Biological Management of Fusarium Wilt in Chickpea (Cicer Arietinum L.) Caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris

In the present study, the three rhizobacterial strains (CPs3, CBs5 and Pf1) and fungal antagonists (CTs2 and Tv1) were evaluated against Fusarium wilt of chickpea under glasshouse and field conditions. Among all the treatments the strain CPs3 (Pseudomonas chlororaphis) has recorded highest germination (100%) and yield parameters viz., yield of 1194.4 kg/ ha with 13 (Number of pod bearing branches/plant), 32.3 (Pods/plant) and 33.0 g of 100 seeds weight with lowest incidence of wilt at 14.3% with disease reduction 80.7% (glasshouse) and 21.67% with 70.18% in the field conditions when compared to other biocontrol agents. The highest population of 8.2 x105 cfu/ g of soil and followed by Pf1 (Pseudomonas fluorescens) recorded 7.5 x105 cfu/g of soil. The strain CPs3 (Pseudomonas chlororaphis) had better growth promoting traits and management of the wilt disease in chickpea with superior root colonization ability.