Biotic and abiotic stresses are major obstacles in the cultivation and production of maize. Among biotic stresses excluding bacterial and viral diseases, many fungal diseases are of economic importance. Banded leaf and sheath blight (BLSB) appears to be most important and devastating disease of maize. Banded leaf and sheath blight (BLSB) caused by Rhizoctonia solani f. sp. sasakii, being soil borne is the major threat to successful cultivation and growing of maize. Therefore, various potential biocontrol agents were evaluated in vitro against the pathogen R. solani f. sp. sasakii, at the Department of Plant Pathology, VNMKV, Parbhani. Though all test bioagents were found antagonistic to the test pathogen, but most efficient were, Trichoderma asperellum, which resulted with significant highest mycelial growth inhibition (87.42 %), of the test pathogen, followed by T. harzianum (86.17 %), T. virens (66.36 %) and Aspergillus niger (65.16 %).

Bioagents, Rhizoctonia solani, Banded leaf and sheath blight, In vitro, Inhibition

Biocontrol agents such as Trichoderma asperellum, T. harzianum, T. virens and A. niger proved to be potential antagonist could be extensively employed to manage several plant diseases/pathogens, including R. solani f. sp. sasakii.

S.N. Banne and A.P. Suryawanshi (2023). In vitro Bioefficacy of Bioagents Against Rhizoctonia solani f. sp. sasakii, causing Maize Banded Leaf and Sheath Blight Disease. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(11): 612-615.