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PRINT ISSN : 2319-7692
Online ISSN : 2319-7706 Issues : 12 per year Publisher : Excellent Publishers Email : editorijcmas@gmail.com / submit@ijcmas.com Editor-in-chief: Dr.M.Prakash Index Copernicus ICV 2018: 95.39 NAAS RATING 2020: 5.38 |
The biocontrol potential of Bacillus megaterium isolated from rhizosphere of turmeric plants was investigated in vitro against cocoyam pathogenic fungi. Antagonistic activity was examined under optimized pH (3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0 and 8.0), carbon sources (glucose, xylose, sucrose and lactose), incubation period (24hrs, 48hrs, 72hrs, 96hrs, and 120hrs) and temperature (200C, 300C, 400C, 500C, 600C and 700C) for B. megaterium. Bacillus megaterium induced the presence of an inhibition halo, with values of 16.89±0.57mm when tested in vitro against Fusarium spp. it also produced a zone of clearing of 13.57±0.57mm against Aspergillus spp. The B. megaterium strain was greatly influenced by nutritional factors. Maximal antagonistic activity of the isolate was observed after 96h of incubation with over 18.0mm zone of inhibition against Fusarium and 15.2mm against Aspergillus species. Glucose and Lactose were found to be the ideal carbon source over xylose and sucrose for the growth of B. megaterium in the present work. In this present investigation, we have reported a soil-borne bacterium Bacillus megaterium which is antagonistic to cocoyam phytopathogens, and could make a substantial contribution to the prevention of spoilage of cocoyam.