Kalaivani  Nadarajah, Hamdia  Z. Ali, 
    Evaluating the Efficacy of <I>Trichoderma</I> Isolates and <I>Bacillus subtilis</I> 
  as Biological Control Agents Against <I>Rhizoctonia solani</I>,
    Research Journal of Applied Sciences,
    Volume 8,Issue 1,
    2013,
    Pages 72-81,
    ISSN 1815-932x,
    rjasci.2013.72.81,
    (https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=rjasci.2013.72.81)
    Abstract: The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of 
  the Trichoderma isolates as a biological control agent against <I>Rhizoctonia 
  solani</I> Kuhn. <I>In vitro </I>tests of antagonistic activity and ability 
  of Trichoderma isolates against<I> R. solani </I>via the dual culture technique 
  showed that isolates 6, 7, 8, 20, 13, 22 and 17 had high antagonistic activities 
  with reduced radial growth of pathogen. The Trichoderma isolates were used in 
  control experiment under greenhouse conditions where inoculation with Trichoderma 
  isolates 2, 4, 7 and 11 were effective in inducing significant increase in pre 
  and post emergence seedlings (4.33, 4.33, 4.33 and 8.33%) and also contributed 
  towards an increase in seed germination (4.67, 4.67, 4.33 and 4.33%). The suppression 
  results of Trichoderma isolates 2, 7 and 9 on <I>R. solani</I> growth showed 
  disease incidence of approximately 33.33% while disease severity results for 
  the same isolates were 20, 15.67 and 20%, respectively. These readings recorded 
  a significant difference (p = 0.05) than those obtained when the soil was artificially 
  inoculated with <I>R. solani</I> only where the observed values for disease 
  incidence and severity were 100 and 77.67%, respectively. The combination treatment 
  between Trichoderma isolates and <I>Bacillus subtilis</I> showed all Trichordema 
  isolates were able to reduce pre and post-emergence of disease in seedlings 
  in control experiment (p = 0.05). In the combination treatment; isolates 2 and 
  7 had the highest reduction in disease incidence (both 11%) and severity (both 
  4.33%) after 60 days post transplanting; the concoction appeared to enhance 
  the growth of plants. Trichoderma isolates 2, 7, 8, 9, 11 and 21 in combination 
  with <I>B. subtilis</I> had excellent suppression of pre (8.67, 8.33, 13, 8.67, 
  8.67 and 8.67%) and post (9, 8.67, 9.33, 14, 9 and 14%) emergence of disease 
  in <I>R. solani</I> inoculated soil. This shows an overall reduction of disease 
  incidence of between 22-33% and severity of 15.33-22% when the Trichoderma isolates 
  were used in combination with <I>B. subtilis</I> to suppress <I>R. solani</I> 
  infestations.
    Keywords: Rhizoctonia solani;rice;biological control;Trichoderma isolates;Bacillus subtilis