Inducing Resistance Against Seed Rot and Damping-off Disease Infecting Bell Pepper Using Some Antioxidants and its Reflection on Seedling Protection Under Greenhouse Conditions

Abstract

A greenhouse experiment was performed to assess the efficacy of some bio-control agents and glutathione to induce resistance in pepper plants against damping off disease caused by the fungus Rhizoctoniasolani. The fungus Trichodermaviride was highly efficient in inhabiting R.solani in growth medium when it scored 1.33, the highest antagonistic ability. The bacterium Azospirillum brasilensecould inhibit the pathogenic fungus on PDA growth medium by 100% at 10-5 concentration. Glutathione and Beltanol pesticide control scored 100% growth inhibition at 3000 and 2000 mg/Lm, respectively. Greenhouse experiment showed T.viride, A. brasilense and glutathione (G) combination treatment decreased infectivity and disease severity to 0.00 and 0. 00%, respectively, compared to 56.67 and 55.00% for R.solani only treatment. While (G + R. solani ), (T. viride +R.solani), (T. viride + G +R.solani) and (A. brasilense + G +R.solani) scored 3.33, 33.33, 10.00 and 10.00% infectivity and 1.67, 1.67. 6.67 and 8.33 % disease severity, respectively. Besides, the combination (T. viride+ A. brasilense + G) scored the highest plant height, dry and wet weights and total chlorophyll content, which were 100.00 cm, 87.33 and 32.08 gm/plant and 60.00 SPAD unit, respectively. Keywords: Seed Rot, Damping off Disease, Bell Pepper, Greenhouse Conditions