In vitro screening and efficacy of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and biocontrol agents in bell pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Abstract

An investigation was carried out during (2015-16) at laboratory and experimental farm of Department of Seed Science and Technology, Dr. Y. S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-273230 (H. P.). In vitro screening of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and biocontrol agents was done with three bacterial (Kt6, Kl5 and A3) and three fungal (Trichoderma viride, T. harzianum and T. hamatum) strains. Among all, one best from both bacterial and fungal strains were evaluated for their effect on seed germination and seedling growth of bell pepper under field conditions. The studies revealed that all the seed quality parameters viz. speed of germination (49.60), germination percentage (9.79), seedling length (13.58), seedling dry weight (2.66), seedling vigour index-length (12.86.66) and seedling vigour index-mass (252.14) were found maximum with treatment T3 (PGPR-3) under in vitro conditions. However under nursery conditions, speed of germination (38.23), germination percentage (9.26), seedling length (10.77), seedling dry weight (3.91), seedling vigour index-length (912.17) and seedling vigour index-mass (331.32) were recorded maximum with treatment T5 PGPR (seed treatment) + Trichoderma (soil application).