Abstract

Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a vital vegetable crop used for both nutritional and medicinal purposes worldwide. However, it is highly susceptible to various diseases, including the destructive white rot caused by Sclerotium cepivorum Berk. This study aimed to isolate and evaluate the efficacy of Trichoderma and Rhizosphere bacteria against Sclerotium cepivorum Berk in garlic. Samples were collected from three districts known to be affected by the pathogen. In vitro tests demonstrated that nine Trichoderma isolates effectively inhibited the growth of Sclerotium cepivorum Berk mycelia. Among these isolates, five exhibited significant inhibition (>50%) with a p-value of 0.000 in dual culture assays. The most potent isolate, GUT-6, showed a remarkable 90% inhibition, followed by GUT-3 and GUT-5 with 88.57% and 85.71% inhibition, respectively. In contrast, isolate GUT-7 exhibited the lowest inhibition efficiency (40%) compared to the control. Evaluation of bacterial isolates revealed lower inhibition efficiency against the radial growth of Sclerotium cepivorum Berk compared to Trichoderma isolates. Out of the six bacterial isolates tested, only two (GUR-1 and 12) showed inhibition (>50%), while the other four exhibited poor efficiency (<50%). The highest and lowest inhibitions were recorded by isolates GUBI-12 (58.13%) and GUBI-3 (13.95%), respectively. Overall, this study highlights the potential of Trichoderma species as an effective biocontrol agent against Sclerotium cepivorum Berk and recommends further evaluation in greenhouse conditions