Mode of action of the native potential antagonist, Trichoderma fasciculatum against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causing mango anthracnose.

Accepted : December, 2009 Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is considered as “king of fruits” grown throughout the tropics and subtropics worldwide. India is the world’s largest producer of mango. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides causes anthracnose, which is the most important biological constraint to mango production in Southeast Asia resulting in 3060% harvest losses (Dodd et al., 1991). Though chemical control measures are effective, considering the cost of chemical pesticides and the environmental hazards involved, biological control is a viable strategy for sustainable disease management. The biologically active compounds from natural sources have always been of a great interest for scientists working on various diseases and understanding the mechanisms through which the biocontrol of plant diseases occurs is critical to the eventual improvement and wider use of biocontrol methods. The susceptibility of the pathogen to inhibitory metabolites of bioagents assumes greater relevance where the fungal pathogen is polyphasic, multicyclic and when all the different phases of life cycle of the pathogen are drastically affected by these antagonists. The present study dealts with the antagonistic effect of metabolites produced by the potential biocontrol agents against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides.