Abstract

In vivo screen-house experiment was conducted in Oyo State College of Agriculture, Igboora to compare the inhibitory potential of Azadirachta indica, Trichoderma harzanium and Copper Sulphate at different concentration of fungal pathogens of Pleurotus tuber-regium. The treatments were laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replicates. The fruitbodies of P.tuber-regium were inoculated at the base stipe with 160g/l, 240g/l and 320g/l of A.indica, T. harzanium was also inoculated at the concentration levels of 1.0×106, 1.5×108, 2.0×1010 spores/ml and copper sulphate at 50ppm, 100ppm,150ppm, 200ppm, 250ppm which served at standard while uninoculated served as control. The highest occurrence of pathogenic fungi isolates associated with rots of P.tuber-regium sporophores were Aspergillus flavus (88%), A.niger (85%) and A. ochraceous (84%). The concentration of 2.0×1010 spores/ml of T.harzanium gave the highest inhibitory effect on A.niger, A.flavus and A.ochraceous on the cap and stipe lengths (5.60mm and 7.02mm; 5.37mm and 7.18mm; 5.73mm and 10,11mm respectively) of P.tuber-regium. The inhibitory effect of A.indica on the cap length of P.tuber-regium was highly significant against A.ochraceous at 320g/l than other concentration levels and control. CuSO4 as a standard at 250ppm had higher (p˂0.05) inhibitory effect on the growth of A.ochraceous on the cap and stipe length of P.tuber-regium. Trichoderma harzanium, Azadirachta indica as well as Copper sulphate could be integrated in the management of rots in Pleurotus tuber-regium.

Keywords: Pleurotus tuber-regium, Azadirachta.