Effect of soil amendment with Chenopodium album dry biomass and two Trichoderma species on growth of chickpea var. Noor 2009 in Sclerotium rolfsii contaminated soil

Abstract Sclerotium rolfsii is a soil-borne plant pathogen that causes root diseases in hundreds of plant species. It also causes collar rot disease in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.). The present pot study was carried out to investigate the effect of soil amendment with dry biomass of a weed Chenopodium album L. and two antagonistic fungi, namely Trichoderma harzianum and T. viride, on growth and yield of chickpea variety Noor 2009 in soil infected with S. rolfsii. The pathogen-contaminated soil was amended either with 1, 2, or 3% C. album dry biomass, T. harzianum, and T. viride alone, or combinations of either of the two Trichoderma species and plant dry biomass. The lowest shoot and root dry biomass and grain yield of chickpea were recorded in S. rolfsii inoculation alone without any soil amendment (positive control). Plant growth and yield were significantly and gradually increased over positive control with an increase in C. album dry biomass application in the soil. Likewise, soil application of either of the two Trichoderma species significantly enhanced plant growth and yield over positive control under biotic stress of S. rolfsii. Combined application of either T. harzianum or T. viride with 3% dry biomass of C. album also proved highly effective in alleviating biotic stress of S. rolfsii on growth and yield of chickpea.