Application of the Antagonistic FungusTrichoderma harzianum(TrichoFlow WP™) to Root Zone Increases Yield of Bell Peppers Grown in Soil

Abstract

Effects of Trichoderma harzianum, the biocontrol fungus, on yield and fruit characteristics of bell peppers were studied. Trichoderma harzianum suspensions at the dosages of 4, 10 and 24 g m⁻² were applied to soil in the root zone of the local cultivars Y-13-178, Y-13-190 and Y-122 grown initially in a high polythene tunnel and later in the open following the removal of the polythene cover. The product contained 10⁸ cfu g⁻¹ and was applied three times, at sowing, at transplanting to the multicelled trays and at planting in the soil in the plastic tunnel. T. harzianum significantly increased the marketable and total yield whereas the increase in early yield was not statistically significant. The 4.0 g m⁻² dosage gave the highest total and marketable yield plant⁻¹ of 788 g and 685 g, respectively. These yields from the control plants were 512 g plant⁻¹ and 431 g plant⁻¹, respectively. Application of Trichoderma harzianum also significantly increased the number of marketable fruits and total number of fruits plant⁻¹ with 4.0 g m⁻² producing the highest numbers of 8.7 and 9.7, respectively. Except for the number of fruits with three locules, the main effects of Trichoderma dosages were not significant on fruit characteristics such as length, weight and wall thickness. The number of fruits with three locules was increased with the application of Trichoderma where results from all the three dosages were superior to those of the control. T. harzianum applied did not have any significant effect on the number of two and four loculed fruits. It was concluded that the application of Trichoderma harzianum at a dosage of 4.0 g m⁻² significantly increased bell pepper yield.