COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RHIZOSPHERE AND RHIZOPLANE MICROFLORA IN HEALTHY AND DISEASED MULBERRY (MORUS SPP.) GARDENS

摘要

The prevalence of rhizosphere and rhizoplane microflora in healthy and diseased mulberry (Morus alba cv. V-1) gardens infested with root knot (Meloidogyne incognita), root rot (Fusarium solani [Haematonectria haematococca], F. oxysporum, Botryodiplodia theobromae [Lasiodiplodia theobromae] and Macrophomina phaseolina) and root disease complex (interaction between M. incognita and root rot fungi) was studied in four farmers gardens in Mysore, Karnataka, India. The total population of microflora was significantly higher in the rhizosphere habitat than in the rhizoplane. Twenty-three forms of microflora (14 fungi, 7 bacteria and 2 actinomycetes) were isolated from the rhizosphere soils, whereas 20 forms o microflora (11 fungi, 7 bacteria and 2 actinomycetes) were isolated from the rhizoplane soils. The population of beneficial microflora was significantly higher in the rhizosphere and rhizoplane habitats of healthy mulberry gardens compared to diseased gardens. Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Bacillus subtilis and Azotobacter spp. were dominant among the beneficial species. Among the pathogenic species, F. solani, F. oxysporum, B. theobromae and M. phaseolina were the most abundant. In the saprophytic group, Aspergillus and Penicillium species were dominant.