Effect of Trichoderma seed treatment on root growth (Pot culture)

Abstract

To study the effect on root traits, seeds were treated with 3 isolates of Trichoderma, that were found to have positive effect on growth in the earlier experiments, viz., TV-5, Th-4d, T-673. Sowing was taken up in in polybags of size 30 cm diameter and 45 cm height. Stress was imposed from 35 DAS and the stress treatments received only 30% of water given to control. 14 DAS, all the Trichoderma treated plants showed more root length (31.1 cm) than untreated (13.3cm) with no effect on shoot characters. The same trend continued till 25DAS and root length, volume, weight and TDM of treated plants was more compared to control. Among the Trichoderma treatments, T-673 recorded more root length and TV-5 more root volume. From 40DAS, the difference between treated and untreated became marginal for all characters except for TDM which was high in treated plants both in control and stress treatments till 65DAS.