2.5. Evaluation of actinomycetes under greenhouse conditions
The five most potential antagonistic actinomycete isolates
(CAI-24, CAI-121, CAI-127, KAI-32 and KAI-90) against FOC from the
in vitro studies were evaluated individually for their antagonistic
potential in pots in the greenhouse. Each actinomycete isolate was
inoculated by five different methods viz. M1 ¼ inoculation of the
potting mixture with respective actinomycete culture along with
FOC two weeks before sowing; M2 ¼ inoculation of the seeds
by soaking in the respective actinomycete culture for 1 h;
M3 ¼ inoculation of the sprouted seeds by soaking in the respective
actinomycete culture for 1 h; M4 ¼ inoculation of the potting
mixture with actinomycete culture at the time of sowing (10 ml of
well-grown actinomycete culture [108 CFU ml1] was applied on the
seed and covered with soil) and M5 ¼ inoculation of the seedlings
after emergence with actinomycete culture (10 ml of well-grown
actinomycete culture [108 CFU ml1] was applied on the
seedlings after emergence). Thus the combination of actinomycetes
isolates five methods of inoculation constituted 25 independent
treatments. Also, there were seven more treatments as various
controls were included as follows: treatments 26e30: the potting
mixtures inoculated with each actinomycete isolate individually two
weeks before sowing, 31: the potting mixtures inoculated only with
FOC 2weeks before sowing and 32: the potting mixture treated only
with 200 ml sterilized water two weeks before sowing (negative
control). The experiment had six replications.
FOC inoculum was mass-multiplied on chickpea grains (variety
JG-62, highly susceptible to Fusarium wilt, acquired from the