Screening of a Potential Biological Control Agent for the Control of Post harvest Stem end-Rot of Banana and Papaya

Abstract

Stem end rot caused by Botryodiplodia species is one of the most important post harvest disease of papaya and crown rot is the most common post harvest disease in banana. This study was conducted to evaluate the possibility of using Trichoderma spp as biological control agents to reduce the occurence of stem end rot disease of papaya and crown rot disease of banana. Three species of Trichoderma were used for the study. Isolation of Botryodiplodia theobromae from infected banana and papaya was done according to the Koch’s postulates and after successfril isolation, a series of invitro bioassay experiments were conducted to test the effect of the biological control agents of Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma sppl and Trichoderma spp2 against the pathogenic organism. Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma sppl and Trichoderma spp2 were able to control the Botryodiplodia theobromae which isolated from both banana and papaya up to a certain. Trichoderma sppl was completely covered the Botryodiplodia theobromae from banana crown within 5 days. From the finding of this study, it can be concluded that Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma spp 1 and Trichoderma spp 2 can control the Botryodiplodia theobromae pathogen of both banana and papaya.