Biological control of tomato collar rot induced by Sclerotium rolfsii using Trichoderma species isolated in Bangladesh

This study evaluated three Trichoderma strains (T. harzianum TR05, T. virens TR06 and T. asperellum TR08) originating from Bangladesh as potential biological control agents against collar rot of tomato under greenhouse conditions. After seed treatment with TR05, a disease incidence of collar rot (5.36%) was lower than for TR06 (34.2%) and TR08 (20.8%). Germination percentage of tomato was highest for TR05 (90.3%). In soil treatment, inoculation with TR08 resulted in the lowest disease incidence (9.78%), and the disease incidence was statistically no different from that for TR05 (16.4%). Thus, TR05 and TR08 have potential as biological control agents of collar rot in tomato.