Seeds were soaked in a suspension of antagonist (isolate PF -9 or PF -7) for 24 hours and sown. Twenty-five day old seedlings were treated by dipping the roots in a suspension of antagonist overnight and then transplanted.
The inoculation with R.solani was done at the maximum tillering stage (45 DA T) by placing 5-6 Typha cuttings colonized with the pathogen inside each hill (Bhaktavatsalam et aI.,1978) and tying with a rubber band.
First and second foliar applications with different antagonists (108- 109CFU/ml) were done 2 days before and 2 days after inoculation of R. solani respectively.
The third foliar application of antagonist was done 7 days after the second foliar application. In certain treatments, second and third foliar sprayings of antagonist were substituted with an application of fungicide (0.1 % carbendazim). Ten days after the final foliar application of biocontrol agents, observations were made on disease severity using 0-9 scale (IRRI, 1996).