The surface sterilized seeds of sunflower (
Helianthus annuus
L. cv Hysun 39) were soaked in cell-free culture filtrates of some antagonistic fungal and a bacterial species -
Aspergillus niger
;
Paecilomyces lilacinus
;
P. varioti
;
Penicillium herquei
;
Trichoderma resei
,
T. viride and Rhizobium
meliloti
and grown in pot containing soil with
Macrophomina phaseolina
(Tassi) Goid sclerotia @ 3-5 sclerotia / g soil to investigate the disease controlling potential of antagonistic species and growth of sunflower. The emergence of sunflower seeds was not affected by any of the treatment although the growth of seedlings was improved significantly. The cell-free culture extracts of all organisms in hand were antagonistic to the colonization of sunflower roots by
M. phaseolina
, however,
Trichoderma viride, Penicillium herquei
and
Paecilomyces varioti
were the most effective fungi in this respect. They showed their potential of protecting seeds and enhancement of seedling growth. Moreover, it is indicated that the antagonism of the above organisms with
M. phaseolina
is chemical in nature i.e., due to the metabolite (s) of these organisms