Formulation of Trichoderma Based Biopesticide for Controlling Damping off Pathogen of Eggplant Seedling

The effect of eight Trichoderma based substrates viz. rice bran, wheat bran, lentil bran, gram bran, black gram bran, mustard oil cake, grass pea bran and saw dust in mixing with peat soil and water were used in the formulation, these were evaluated for sporulations of Trichoderma harzianum and acting against Sclerotium rolfsii for the management of damping off of eggplant seedlings with control. The effect of the treatments varied significantly in terms of production of Trichoderma spore and reducing damping off and tip over increasing germination percentage, plant height, seedling vigor and fresh weight of eggplant seedlings in comparison to control. Among the treatments soil application with T5 (Trichoderma + Black gram bran + Peat soil + Water), T7 (Trichoderma + Grass Pea bran + Peat soil + Water) and T4 (Trichoderma + Gram bran + Peat soil + Water) showed the promising effect in controlling pre-emergence damping off, post-emergence damping off, tip over and increasing germination percentage, plant height, vigor index and fresh weight of seedlings. The highest germination percentage (78.00%) was observed in treatment T5 at 16 days after sowing (DAS). The lowest percentage (6.33%) post- emergence damping off was observed in T5 in eggplant seedling at 16 DAS. The lowest pre- emergence damping off and tip over were observed in T5 in eggplant (2.33% and 1.33%).