Evaluation of two species of Trichoderma as compost activator and bio-control agents.

The two Trichoderma species were found to be viable in improving the composting efficiency of the compost especially when the Trichoderma sp. 2 was inoculated on the compost. Trichoderma sp. 2 increased the total NPK content of the compost at 4.88% with the C: N ratio of 6:1. Combination of the two species of Trichoderma could also increase the nutrient content of the compost with 4.48% with the high percentage recovery of 67%. However, compost inoculated with Trichoderma sp. 1 had the lowest total NPK content of 3.68% as compared with the compost not inoculated with activator (3.93%). The two Trichoderma species had the ability to inhibit the mycelia growth of S. rolfsii under in-vitro condition by 34.92% and 31.44%, respectively. Different mycoparasitic activity was observed among the two species of Trichoderma and this could be attributed to the released of different metabolites against S. rolfsii The two Trichoderma were able to produce metabolites, by inhibiting the growth of S. rolfsii by 10.46% to 29.03% in volatile, 3.74% to 5.59% in non-volatile, and 11.3% to 12.94% in direct-diffusible metabolite. Biological activity of Trichoderma on seed coating treatment showed enhancement of the seed germination of cucumber when the seeds were coated with Trichoderma sp. 1 (93.75%) alone, or coated with Trichoderma sp. 1 + Trichoderma sp. 2 (84.38%). Seeds not coated with any of the Trichoderma increased the percentage of disease incidence as compared with the seeds coated with Trichoderma either alone or in combination. Biological activity of the Trichoderma on soil treatment revealed that seeds sowed in any of the infected or non-infected soil treated with the two species of Trichoderma either alone or in combination enhanced the seed germination of cucumber by 87.50% to 93.75%. Disease incidence in cucumber was high even in the presence of Trichoderma sp. 1; however application of the two species of Trichoderma reduced the incidence of damping off disease by 6.25%. Trichoderma species were found effective as compost activator in rice straw-based compost as it enhance the nutrient content of the compost. Likewise it produce different amount of metabolites that inhibit the growth of S. rolfsii. The two species of Trichoderma also helped to improve seed germination and reduce the disease incidence of cucumber in seed and soil treatment application.