Title: BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF F. OXYSPORUM f. sp. LYCOPERSICI CAUSING WILT OF TOMATO BY PSEUDOMONAS FLUORESCENS
Abstract: Abstract- Pseudomonas fluorescens is one of the major fungal biocontrol agents found in the soil and the rhizosphere of various crop systems. Ten isolates of P.fluorescens were isolated from rhizosphere soil samples collected from various tomato-growing fields and evaluated for their efficacy in increasing seed quality variables of tomato and in inhibiting the mycelial growth of Fusarium oxysporum. Pseudomonas isolate 2 produced effective results and was selected and mass multiplied. Talc and sodium alginate formulations of mass multiplied using different agents were prepared and evaluated for
their effects against fusarium wilt under greenhouse conditions. Fresh cultures of Pf2 isolate was found to increase seedling emergence and reduce fusarium wilt disease incidence when compared to the control and the formulations.