Trichoderma asperellum, a potential fungal biocontrol agent against Aspergillus niger

Trichoderma asperellum is free-living, ubiquitous fungus which is very common in the habitat of soil and root ecosystem, is known as a potent opportunistic, avirulent plant symbionts and it parasitizes several soilborne phytopathogens. Aspergillus niger is well known black mold which causes several storage diseases. Among the storage diseases, black mould disease of onion is an important disease which is caused by A. niger. Antagonsitic potential of T. asperellum was assayed against three isolates of A. niger [RC1, RC2 (isolated from soil samples of Farm 1 and 2) and RC3 isolated from diseases onion]. Antagonistic efficacy of T. asperellum of A. niger almost similar against all the test isolates. Percentage inhibition of radial growth (PIRG) of A. niger by T. asperellum inhibited 55.17% within five days, 77.20% within 7 days and 92.06% in 12 days. Antagonistic efficacy of T. asperellum can be exploited in the management of black mould disease of onion.