Identification of Fungal Species from Remote Places of Vindhyachal Forest of Madhya Pradesh for Biological Control of Early Blight

Author: Omshri Singh and Deepak Bharti

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Abstract

The main goal was to find potential biological control agents for Early Blight, a disease that commonly affects potato and tomato crops. By studying the microbial diversity in these fields, researchers hoped to find environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions for managing this disease. We have collected samples of soil from the rhizosphere (the region of soil directly influenced by root secretions and associated soil microorganisms) and plant root materials as rhizoplane (the surface of a plant root) during October and November 2021. These samples were then serially diluted and streaked over Potato Dextrose Agar media plates, a common method used for the isolation of fungi. The cultured fungi were further analyzed using molecular techniques, specifically Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and sequencing of the Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) region. This region is a universally accepted region of fungal DNA for species identification. The study reported the presence of several important fungi, including Trichoderma species, Penicillium sp. Phytophthora infestans, Fusarium oxysporum, Pyrenochaeta lycopersici, Aspergillus flavus, Collectotrichum spp., Cladosporium cladosporioides, Periconia byssoides, Aspergillus tamarii, and Fusarium sp. Some fungi among all are known to play a crucial role in the development of healthy plants and protection of potato and tomato plants from other pathogens. This study contributes to our understanding of the microbial diversity in the Vindhyachal forest and its potential use in the biological control of plant diseases. It’s a significant step towards sustainable and environmentally friendly farming practices.

Keywords

Biological Control, Early Blight, Fungal species, Molecular identification, ITS region

Conclusion

The study reported the presence of several important fungi, including Trichoderma species, Penicillium sp., Phytophthora infestans, Fusarium oxysporum, Pyrenochaeta lycopersici, Aspergillus flavus, Collectotrichum spp., Cladosporium cladosporioides, Periconia byssoides, Aspergillus tamarii, and Fusarium sp. Some of these fungi are known to play a crucial role in the development of healthy plants and protection of potato and tomato plants from other pathogens. This study contributes significantly to our understanding of the microbial diversity in the Vindhyachal forest and its potential use in the biological control of plant diseases.

References

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How to cite this article

Omshri Singh and Deepak Bharti (2023). Identification of Fungal Species from Remote Places of Vindhyachal Forest of Madhya Pradesh for Biological Control of Early Blight. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 15(6): 801-804.