Isolation and development of a repository of native isolates of Trichoderma spp. from Madhya Pradesh

The use of microorganisms that antagonize plant pathogens (biological control) is risk-free when it results in enhancement of resident antagonists. Ninety percent of such applications have been carried out with different strains of the Trichoderma spp. which have long been recognized as agents for the control of plant disease and for their ability to increase plant growth and development. In the present investigation, 14 districts of Madhya Pradesh, including 62 blocks, were surveyed for collection of soil samples. Maximum number of soil samples were collected from 52 locations from 11 blocks of Rewa district, followed by 35 locations from 12 blocks of Satna district. Soil samples represented not only the different locations of Madhya Pradesh but also the non-cultivated and cultivated fields of different crops like chickpea, chilli, guava, kodomillet, maize, mango, mungbean, pigeonpea, rice, sesame, soybean, tomato, wheat and sugarcane. In total, 177 soil samples were collected from cultivated (121) and non-cultivated (56) farmers fields. A set of 38 and 2 isolates of Trichoderma spp. could be isolated from cultivated field and non-cultivated fields respectively.