Indigenous Trichoderma Isolated from Maize Rhizosphere with Potential for Enhancing Seedling Growth

Plants and microorganisms interaction often occur in the rhizosphere and improve plant growth. In this research, we tried to isolate Trichoderma from maize rhizosphere and evaluated for its role in stimulating of seedling growth. Three isolates of this fungus were collected from maize plantation in Maros, Takalar, and Jeneponto regencies, Sulawesi, Indonesia. The tree isolates have same characteristic apparent with thick and velvety in texture, dark green in color, and rapid growth in PDA medium. Comparing with control, the application of these isolates offered no any impact on seed germination, but significantly increased root length, shoot length, dry root weight, and dry shoot weight. No significant different between isolates, except the root treated by Jeneponto isolate was more longer than that treated by Maros and Takalar isolates. These data showed the potential of this indigenous Trichoderma as agent of plant growth.