Multifarious Antagonistic Potentials of Native Pseudomonad Isolates from Rhizosphere as Biocontrol Agents for the Management of Chickpea Wilt

A total of nine pseudomonad isolates from different rhizosphere were isolated and screened for their antagonistic activities against F. oxysporum f.sp. ciceri. All nine isolates exhibited the ammonification property, produced HCN (Cyanide) and IAA (Indole acetic acid) and positive for phosphorus solubilization, except PGPR-Pl, this found to be negative for HCN production. Among the nine isolates, pseudomonad isolates PGPR-WS were best in exhibiting multiple PGPR traits like ammonification, HCN production, IAA production (26.08 mgl-1), and phosphate solubilization (306.51 mgl-1) as well as best in antagonistic activity against F. oxysporum f.sp. ciceri, showed 75.00% inhibition of growth of mycelia over control and caused total lysis of mycelia in advanced stages of antagonism. Thus screening and identification of novel bioagent PGPR-WS with multifarious activities vividly reflect its potential to suppress F. oxysporum f.sp. ciceri and suggest the usefulness of this super bioinoculant as a component of integrated disease management (IDM) of chickpea wilt caused by F. oxysporum f.sp. ciceri.