EFFECTIVENESS OF Bacillus subtilis (EHRENBERG) COHNAGAINST Rhizoctonia solani KUHN IN VITRO

Abstract

The study was conducted at the Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB-CA), College, Laguna. The aim of this study was to select Bacillus subtilis strains for use as a biological control of Rhizoctonia solani in corn. Forty one strains of Bacillus isolates of corn roots were collected from different parts of the Philippines and these were screened in vitro against R. solani isolates that cause banded leaf and sheath blight (BLSB) in corn. These isolates were also collected from all over the country. Of these, two Bacillus subtilis strains BR23 and BS100 were found to be very effective against seven virulent R. solani isolates, both in laboratory and greenhouse screening tests.