comprising 14 treatments with 3 replications with variety
V-1. The microbial antagonists like Trichoderma harzianum
were obtained from Central Sericultural Research and
Training Institute, Mysore and T.viride and Pseudomonas
fluorescens were obtained from, Centre for Plant Protection
Studies (CPPS), Tamil Nadu Agricultural University,
Coimbatore. One kg of microbial pesticide was mixed with
50 Kg of well decomposed finely powdered Farm Yard
Manure (FYM) and kept under shade for a week to enhance
the multiplication of colonies of antagonistic organisms.
The combination of different microbial agents as per the
treatment were also mixed and kept for multiplication. The
mixture was maintained at 30% moisture level. Fresh
saplings were planted in the pits of size 1’x1’x1’
incorporating 500 gm of the corresponding microbial mixture
in each pit followed by the application of EM solution @ 30
ml per pit followed by irrigation. In the case of VAM
treatment soil based inoculum was applied @ 100gm/ pit
(20 VAM spores/ g of dry soil) and then the fresh saplings
were planted. The treatments were repeated thrice at one
month interval. The survival percentage of the plants on
60, 90 and 150 days after planting was recorded and the
mean was worked out.