Use of Trichoderma harzianum for the Control of Colletotrichum spp. A Causal Agent of Anthracnose and Yield Enhancement in Chili

Abstract

The study aims to know the effective commercial strain of T. Harzianum to control Colletotrichum spp. causes anthracnose and increase the chili pepper production  in the field. The study indicated that commercial strains of T. Harzianum could inhibit the fiber of fungus that causes anthracnose. When commercial strain of T. Harzianum was tested in field conditions compared to Bacillus subtilis, mancozeb chemicals, T. Hazinum with Bacillus subtilis, and did not use (control) found that commercial 02 strain of T. Harzianum could effect in the all components.  It had an effect on the height of a 60-day-old chili pepper tree (66.76 cm), crown cover of 60-day-old chili pepper tree (60.20 cm), height of 90-day-old chili pepper tree (79.10 cm), crown cover of 90-day-old chili pepper tree (71.96 cm), weight of good fruits per tree (0.56 kg), worm-damaged fruit weight per tree (54.3 g), anthracnose-damaged fruit weight per tree (14.66 g) and yield per 10 m² area (28.01 kg).  while the commercial 03 strain of T. Harzianum and Bacillus subtilis was effective on the height of a 60-day-old chili pepper tree (65 cm), crown cover of 60-day-old chili pepper tree (58.86 cm), height of 90-day-old chili pepper tree (77.00 cm), crown cover of 90-day-old chili pepper tree (70 cm), weight of good fruits per tree (0.43 kg), worm-damaged fruit weight per tree (56.3 g), anthracnose-damaged fruit weight per tree (27.3 g) and yield per 10 m² area (21.5 kg). For the use of chemical mancozeb  inhibited anthracnose best but other components were lower than the use of T. Harzianum in average of the height of a 60-day-old chili pepper tree (64.53 cm), crown cover of 60-day-old chili pepper tree (57.83 cm), height of 90-day-old chili pepper tree (75.66 cm), crown cover of 90-day-old chili pepper tree (69.66 cm), weight of good fruits per tree (0.33 kg),  worm-damaged fruit weight per tree (44.3 g), anthracnose-damaged fruit weight per tree (17.3 g) and yield per 10 m² area (16.5 kg).

According to the study’s results, T. Harzianum can moderately control the growth of Colletotrichum spp. causes of anthracnose in the laboratory and field, as well as increase the chili pepper products.