<div>Bagasse is the left over obtained from sugar production plants. After improving the quality with NaOH and white fungus, Pleurotus sajor-caju, it can be used as roughage source for ruminant animal. However, use at different levels in TMR diet is expected to produce different responses. Therefore, the objective this study is to find the suitable level of fermented sugarcane bagasse (FSB) as an ingredient in TMR with 14% dietary protein content on dairy cow performance, blood metabolite and ruminal fermentation. In CRD experiment, nine crossbred Holstein lactating multiparous cows (avg. b. wt. 405&plusmn;45 kg) were randomly allotted to 3 dietary treatments comprising of 3 levels of FSB in TMR diet viz., 10, 20 and 30%. The result showed that inclusion of FSB at different levels in TMR diet had no effect on DMI and milk production. However, FSB at 20% in TMR had improved the milk composition. Increasing the level of FSB in TMR diet was effect to increase blood glucose, while blood urea nitrogen has the highest in 1.5 hours after feeding FSB at 10% in TMR diet. Level of FSB in TMR diet had no effect on ruminal fermentation as evidenced in every hour of determination, except 4.5 hours after feeding while FSB at 10 % in TMR diet had highest TVFA concentration in the rumen. &nbsp;Therefore, the study suggests that FSB at the level of 20-30% in TMR diet for optimum performance, blood metabolite and ruminal fermentation. &nbsp;</div>

<div>Effect of feeding sugarcane bagasse treated with alkali and white rot fungi on dairy cow performance, blood metabolite and ruminal fermentation&nbsp;</div>

<div style="text-align:justify">Background: The post-harvest tomato fruit rot disease is common threat to the tomato fruit, causing huge economic loss as revealed by (GOP, 2018). The present study was conducted for isolation and identification of causative agent of tomato fruit rot in order to formulate the proper management stretegies.&nbsp; Methods: Study was conducted in three phases. Phase one included collection of tomato fruit samples from vicinity of Tandojam. In phase two pathogens were isolated from the samples at laboratory, while in the phase three pathogens were identified using standard procedures.&nbsp; Result: The experimental results indicated Alternaria solani as the main cause of post-harvest tomato fruit rot. The symptoms observed were presence of brown to black rot lesions on tomato fruits with distinct rings ranging from small pin-heads to whole surface of fruit. A total of six different fungi viz., Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus niger, Alternaria solani, Geotrichum candidum, Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizopus stolonifer were found to be associated with post harvest tomato rot. Significantly higher infection was recorded for A. solani (53.667%) followed by A. niger (16.333%) and G. candidum (13.00%). The lowest infection percentage was observed for F. oxysporum (2.333%), followed by A. alternata (4.00%) and R. stolonifer (9.00%). A. solani produced aerial mycelium with yellowish to reddish diffusible pigments. A. niger cultures were typically black and colonies were initially whitish to yellow and later became brown to black in colour. G. candidum produced white and nonaerial colonies. F. oxysporum produced circular, aerial mycelium initially white, later changed to light pink. R. stolonifer produced whitish to grey fuzzy colonies.&nbsp;</div>

<div>Isolation and Identification of the Fungi Causing Tomato Fruit Rot Disease in the Vicinity of Tandojam, Sindh</div>

Background: In the Northwestern Himalayas, white grubs are a serious and persistent pest of several&nbsp;crops. Because they are more effective than chemical pesticides, microbial control techniques are crucial to integrated pest management. The entomopathogenic fungi used in the present investigation were obtained from white grub species prevalent in the northwestern Himalayan region of India. 
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Methods: The investigations during 2011- 2013 were carried out in CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalya, Palampur. Based on morphology and molecular traits, fungi were identified and characterized. Beauveria brongniartii (Sacc.) was determined to be the principal entomopathogenic fungus using inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers. Moreover, the sequences derived from these strains were confirmed by phylogenetic analysis to be within the same clade as the reference sequences of B. brongniartii. 
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Result: Five native strains were isolated with 3 identified as entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria brongniartii. These findings improve the understanding of the mycobiota of crops in the northwestern Himalayan region, which acts as a basis for the creation of technological products in the field of biological control.

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Entomopath-ogenic Fungi, Beauveria brongniartii Associated with White Grub Populations of North Western Himalaya

Background: The increasing incidence of fungal phytopathogens poses a serious threat to the balance of our ecosystem. While chemical fungicides are commonly used for disease control, their excessive application leads to environmental contamination, the development of resistant pathogen strains and the disruption of beneficial soil microbiota. This has intensified the search for eco-friendly and sustainable biocontrol alternatives. 
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Methods: In the present study, phytopathogenic fungi Penicillium citrinum, Bipolaris sorokiniana and Alternaria alternata were isolated from diseased Morus alba and Melia azedarach. Simultaneously, rare and underexplored non-pathogenic fungi, Purpureocillium sodanum, Talaromyces pinophilus and Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis were isolated from the rhizospheric soil of healthy Morus alba trees growing near the Bhakhra riverbank. Fungal identification was conducted based on colony morphology, microscopic features and molecular analysis using 18S rRNA sequencing. The antagonistic potential of these non-pathogenic isolates was evaluated in vitro using dual culture assays against the phytopathogenic fungi. 
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Result: Dual culture assays revealed significant antagonistic effects, with inhibition percentages ranging from 33.3% to 85.7%. Among the isolates, P. sodanum showed the highest inhibition (85.7%) against A. alternata, surpassing the commonly reported efficacy of standard Trichoderma strains. Enzymatic assays further indicated the production of hydrolytic enzymes, suggesting multiple mechanisms of pathogen suppression. This study presents Purpureocillium sodanum as a highly effective in vitro antagonist with superior inhibition compared to standard Trichoderma strains. These findings support its potential as a novel, eco-friendly biocontrol agent and warrant further investigation for broader agricultural applications.

In vitro Evaluation of Three Unexploited Fungi for Their Biocontrol Potential against Selected Phytopathogenic Fungi

<div style="text-align:justify">Background: The most important wheat diseases that caused by soil-borne fungi are the root-rot disease. The current investigation conducted with evaluation the efficacy of some bioagents, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Azospirillum brasilense, Trichoderma harzianum, commercial bioagent (Planta guard) and chitosan against the causal pathogenic organisms of wheat root rot disease under greenhouse conditions.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Wheat seedlings infected with root rot disease were subjected to the causal fungal isolation trails. In greenhouse, wheat grains were sown individually in pots containing artificially infested soil with the pathogenic fungi R. solani or F. graminearum. Furthermore, the tested bioagents and the fungicide Topsin-M 70 were applied to the infested soil before sowing.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The isolated fungi were R. solani or F. graminearum had proved their pathogenic ability to induce root rot disease of wheat. In pot experiment, all applied treatments affect root rot incidence of grown wheat seedlings in artificially infested soils with disease incidents. In infested soils with root rot incidents, bacterial bioagents reduced root rot incidence by 84.5-93.6% and 28.4- 35.3% 66.6, respectively and by 43.7% for T. harzianum. Moderate effect was obtained by chitosan and planta guard treatments in soil infested with either pathogenic fungi.</div>

<div>Biocontrol Agents for Controlling Wheat Root Rot Disease under Greenhouse Conditions</div>

Background: Basal rot or sclerotium rot is one of the most serious and deadly disease in wide range of crops, including carnations. In carnations, it causes significant damage and economic loss. 
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Methods: The Agroathelia rolfsii, basionym: Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc., the causal agent of basal rot in Chabaud carnation was ioslated from diseased plant parts collected from the Horticultural Research Farm, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat, in 2023-2024 consequently, the study on the disease incidence (%), symptoms and morphomolecular characterization of the pathogen was carried out. 
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Result: The incidence of basal rot was recorded the maximum in April (25.78%). The symptoms first appeared in the basal region, just above the ground, which gradually progressed upward over time. Colonizing white mycelia were conspicuous, producing white smooth fruiting bodies that turned brown, resembling mustard seed grains. The disease caused constriction at the infected point, resulting in decaying of the tissue and collapse of the plant eventually. The culture exhibited compact, whitish, cottony mycelia with sclerotia grown over time. Additionally, the DNA sequence of fungal isolate was submitted to NCBI, with an accession No. PP 203038. The fungal isolate had 92.99% similarity with A. rolfsii and a phylogenetic tree was constructed according to its nearest species with a bootstrap value.

Incidence, Symptomology, Morpho-molecular Characterization of Agroathelia rolfsii (Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc.): The Causal Agent of Basal Rot in Chabaud Carnation

Background: Rhizobacteria are essential for plant health by offering natural antagonism to soil-borne fungi. Rhizobacteria are regarded as an alternative to chemical agents for the integrated control of plant diseases and for enhancing yield in an ecologically sustainable way. Nonetheless, there is a limited comprehension of the precise processes via which rhizobacteria suppress these diseases and the variety of rhizobacterial species implicated. 
 
Methods: Through experiments conducted in 2022-2024, the efficiency of 12 rhizobacterial isolates of Alloiococcus otitis BRE6, Aneurinibacillus thermoaerophilus SDV1, Aeribacillus pallidus ECC4, A. thermoaerophilus ECL1, Bacillus megaterium SKE2, Staphylococcus lentus BZD2, Enterobacter cloacae complex BZD3, B. megaterium TNK1, Leclercia adecarboxylata DKS3, B. halotolerans DMC8, B. subtilis NAS1 and Paenibacillus polymyxa TRS4, in controlling soilborne pathogenic fungi of Rhizoctonia solani, Macrophomina phaseolina and Pythium aphanidermatum, the causal agents of tomato root rot disease was evaluated under greenhouse conditions and plant growth parameters were evaluated. 
 
Result: The results indicated that the combination treatment of 12 rhizobacterial isolates (COR12) achieved the highest germination rate of tomato seeds in the presence of pathogenic fungi, reaching 100% and the lowest rate of disease incidence and severity, reached 5% and 1%, respectively, compared to the positive control treatment, which reached 82% and 53%, respectively. Representing control disease value of 98% compared to the single bacteria treatments. The COR12 treatment achieved a significant increase in the growth parameters represented by plant height and fresh and dry weight of the shoot and root system in the presence of pathogenic fungi compared to the individual bacterial treatments.

Biological Control of Tomato Root Rot Disease by Indigenous Rhizobacteria in Greenhouse Setting

<div>Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid. is a soil- and seed-borne pathogen that causes charcoal rot and various rots and blights of more than 500 crop species. Dry root rot (DRR) also called as charcoal rot which causes yield loss ranged from 25-48 per cent. The pathogen is necrotroph and infects a wide range of crops. It is observed that mycelium of M. phaseolina in cotyledons, plumule and radicle, in the naturally infected seeds of mungbean and cowpea. The disease symptoms are clearly visible from the time of emergence and can be evaluated at various stages of development of the plant. The mechanical plugging of the xylem vessels by microsclerotia, toxin production, enzymatic action and mechanical pressure during penetration lead to disease development. Management of M. phaseolina aim to reduce the number of sclerotia in soil or to minimize the contact of the inoculum and the host. Soil solarization can be a cost-effective method for management of soil borne diseases. Disease suppression by biocontrol agents such as Trichoderma harzianum, T. viride and Bacillus subtilis are the sustained manifestation of interactions among the plant, the pathogen, the biocontrol agent, the microbial community on and around the plant and the physical environment and considerably inhibited growth of M. phaseolina. Essential oils and plant extracts contain a multitude of bioactive substances against fungi, bacteria and nematodes. It has been reported that neem oil, turmeric and garlic was effective against M. phaseolina in in vitro condition. Chemical control is an effective method&nbsp; when seed treatment and foliar spray of carbendazim, topsin M-70, captan, thiram, mancozeb, copper oxychloride against root rot and leaf blight (Macrophomina phaseolina) topsin M-70, captan, thiram, mancozeb, copper oxychloride against root rot (Macrophomina phaseolina). As non-chemical alternative methods can be time-consuming and less effective against soilborne plant pathogens. Chemical control is an effective method of controlling some soilborne diseases in agricultural crops. Varoius workers are reported compatibility of biocontrol agents with fungicides and found that Carbendazim and biocontrol agents Trichoderma viride, T. harizianum were found effective under in vitro and pot condition.</div>

Root Rot Disease Incited by Macrophomina phaseolina in Arid Legumes and their Management: A Review

<div style="text-align:justify">Background: Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important legume crop of tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world. This crop suffers from several diseases like early leaf spot, late leaf spot, rust, groundnut bud necrosis, peanut clump and collar rot etc. But collar rot caused by Aspergillus niger van Teighem is one of the most important seed and soil borne diseases causing huge economic (40-50 per cent) loss in India and abroad. 
 
Methods: A roving survey was conducted to assess the incidence of collar rot in eight major groundnut growing districts of western Rajasthan i.e. Bikaner, Jodhpur, Churu, Jalore, Jaipur, Sikar, Nagaur and Dausa during Kharif 2018. A field experiment was carried out for two consecutive years (2019 and 2020) to manage the disease through altering micro-climate under canopy with six levels of seed rates (80, 85, 90, 95, 100 and 105 kg/ha). 
 
Result: Our investigations cleared that this disease is prevalent in all the 200 fields surveyed in eight districts of Rajasthan with 22.99 per cent overall disease incidence which varied from 17.84 to 32.38 per cent with monetary losses. Maximum disease incidence was recorded in Jaipur (28.85%) district while it was lowest in Nagaur district (20.15%). Higher disease reduction (12.97%) with increased pod yield (27.65%) was observed with higher seed rate of 105 kg/ha as compared to standard recommended seed rate (80 kg/ha) as this pathogen is favoured by higher temperature and low soil moisture, dense canopy provides shade that increases humidity under the cropped area and lowers temperature. As a result of this, plant mortality can be compensated by increasing plant population through seed rate, as it modifies the microclimate and generate an environment which is less favourable for developing collar rot disease of groundnut.</div>

​​Incidence of Collar Rot of Groundnut in Rajasthan and its Management

<div>Soil fungi represent one of the important microbial groups that are actively involved in enhancement of environmental quality and plant nutrient supply. Studying native soil fungal species and their accurate identification is crucial for contribution to the checklist of fungi. The present study aimed at isolation and identification of some soil fungi from Jhum land, Mokokchung district, Nagaland. Serial dilution method was used to isolate soil fungi on RBA (Rose Bengal Agar) and PDA (Potato Dextrose Agar) plates. Altogether fourteen fungal species belonging to genera Absidia, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Mortierella, Mucor, Penicillium and Trichoderma were identified by studying their macro- and micro-morphological characteristics.</div>