Pak. J. Bot., 47(3): 979-986, 2015.

GROWTH AND SPORULATION OF TRICHODERMA POLYSPORUM ON ORGANIC SUBSTRATES BY ADDITION OF CARBON AND NITROGEN SOURCES

ABDUL QAYOOM RAJPUT AND SALEEM SHAHZAD*

Abstract: During the present study nine different organic substrates viz., rice grains, sorghum grains, wheat grains, millet grains, wheat straw, rice husk, cow dung, sawdust and poultry manure were used for mass multiplication of Trichoderma polysporum. Grains, especially sorghum grains were found to be the best substrate for T. polysporum. Wheat straw and rice husk were less suitable, whereas, cow dung, sawdust and poultry manure were not suitable for growth of the fungus. Sucrose @ 30,000 ppm and ammonium nitrate @ 3,000 ppm were found to be the best carbon and nitrogen sources for growth and sporulation of T. polysporum. Amendment of the selected C and N sources to wheat straw, rice husk and millet grains resulted in significantly higher growth and conidia production by T. polysporum as compared to un-amended substrates. Sorghum and rice grains showed suppression in growth and sporulation of T. polysporum when amended with C and N sources. During studies on shelf life, populations of T. polysporum attained the peck at 60-135 days intervals on different substrates and declined gradually thereafter. However, even after 330 days, the populations were greater than the population at 0-day. At 345-360 days interval, populations were less than the initial populations at 0- days. Shelf life on C+N amended wheat straw and rice husk were more as compared to un-amended substrates.

Pest & Disease Research Lab., Department of Agriculture and Agribusiness Management,

University of Karachi, Karachi -75270, Pakistan

*Corresponding author e-mail: sshahzad@uok.edu.pk