Abstract
Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid. causes charcoal rot in mash bean (Vigna mungo L.) that produces significant yield losses especially in arid regions of the world. This study was carried out to assess the effect of soil amendment with a biological control agent Trichoderma harzianum and dry leaf biomass of Acacia nilotica subsp. indica on growth of mash bean in M. phaseolina inoculated soil. In a pot experiment, 1, 2 and 3% dry leaf biomass of A. nilotica subsp. indica (LBA) was mixed in soil alone as well as in combination with T. harzianum. There was 15–45% and 38– 74% increase in shoot and root dry biomass over positive control (only inoculated with M. phaseolina), respectively, due to different doses of LBA. Likewise, T. harzianum inoculation alone increased 50% and 100% shoot and root dry biomass, respectively, over positive control. The highest shoot and root biomass i.e. 163–172% and 120–167% higher than positive control, respectively, was recorded in treatments with combined application of LBA and T. harzianum. The present study concludes that better crop growth in mash bean in M. phaseolina contaminated soil can be obtained by applying 2% dry leaf biomass of A. nilotica subsp. indica in combination with T. harzianum.
