Background Fusarium wilt of tomato caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL) is a serious disease that causes significant economic losses in tomato production. Seventeen endophytic Bacillus isolates from tomato roots of Meghalaya were tested for antagonistic and plant growth promotion activities. Dominating arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi (AMF) spores were isolated from the rhizosphere soils of tomato grown in Meghalaya. The effect of different combinations of AMF and endophytic Bacillus on Fusarium wilt severity and growth of tomato plant under pot and field conditions was studied. Results The endophytic Bacillus isolates ERBS51 and ERBS10 showed a maximum inhibition against FOL, with 58.43 and 55.68%, respectively, in a dual culture experiment. ERBS51 and ERBS10 were identified as Bacillus velezensis and Bacillus sp., respectively, based on 16s rRNA sequencing. Both isolates were found positive for iturin A, surfactin, bacillomycin D, protease, cellulase, pectinase, alpha-amylase, siderophore, ammonia production and ZnCO3 solubilization. Funneliformis mosseae and Glomus fasciculatum were the dominating AMF species in tomato rhizosphere of Meghalaya. The result of pot and field experiments revealed that out of all the treatments, combination of Funneliformis mosseae + Glomus fasciculatum + Bacillus velezensis + Bacillus sp. was shown to be the best in reducing the severity of Fusarium wilt to 77.44 and 66.74%, respectively. F. mosseae + G. fasciculatum + B. velezensis + Bacillus sp. also recorded the highest in most growth attributes and yield. Conclusions Endophytic Bacillus (B. velezensis and Bacillus sp.) and AMF (F. mosseae and G. fasciculatum) were safe and effective biocontrol agents against Fusarium wilt of tomato.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

An experiment was carried out to find out the in-vitro efficacy of systemic and contact fungicides against the pathogen of maize banded leaf and sheath blight (Rhizoctonia solani f. sp. sasakii) by using poisoned food technique. The present experiment was conducted in College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences, Central Agricultural University, Umiam, Meghalaya for the evaluation of different fungicides against the pathogen R. solani f. sp. sasakii. Eight systemic (Carbendazim, Tebuconazole, Propiconazole, Myclobutanil, Azoxystrobin, Metalaxyl, Tricyclazole, Pyraclostrobin), three contact (Mancozeb, Captan and Chlorothalonil) and combination of systemic and contact fungicide (Carbendazim + Mancozeb) were used for the experiment with different concentrations. Among twelve fungicides, Carbendazim was found to be the most effective at concentration of 0.1 % with 95.96 % growth inhibition. Suimilarly, Metalaxyl at concentration of 0.28 % was found to be the least effective with growth inhibition of 55.55 %. The results showed significant differences between different fungicides to inhibit the growth of R. solani.

Peach, (Prunus persica (L) Batsch.) is one of the most important stone fruit commercially grown in the hills including Meghalaya. During Feb-June, 2020 in a roving survey we have found infection on twigs and leaves of peach at Umiam and Pepbah of Ribhoi and East Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. The infected part showing symptoms of twig blight, blossom blight, cankers and fruit rot. Samples of young and matured leaf, blossom, twigs etc with infection were collected. We studied the detailed symptomatology, isolated and purified the associated causal organism. Through Koch's postulate we confirmed the pathogenic association of the causal agent. Further through cultural, morphological, and micrometry study the microorganism was identified as Monilinia fructicola (G. Winter) Honey and this is the first report from the Meghalaya of North East India.

Background: E. coli is one of the most important zoonotic pathogen and also an indicator of faecal contamination of food and water. There is paucity of data regarding the level of contamination of raw meat and characterization of pathogenic E. coli from slaughtered cattle and chicken in un-organized sector from Mizoram, India. Methods: Raw meat samples from traditionally slaughtered cattle and chicken were collected from Aizawl, Kolasib and Champhai districts of Mizoram and analyzed for E. coli count (ECC), serotypes and virulence genes of STEC and ETEC. Result: A proportion of 65.55 per cent beef and 58.89 per cent chicken had unacceptable level of ECC. The most predominant serotypes of E. coli were O118 (13.33%) in beef and O8 (13.89%) in chicken. Both STEC (8.00% and 6.94%) and ETEC (12.00% and 26.38%) pathotypes were detected in beef and chicken, respectively. Detection of serotype O121 in chicken and O26 and O111 in both beef and chicken along with virulence genes of STEC indicated the contamination of raw meat with highly pathogenic STEC strains.