Bacterization with Endospore-forming Bacillus spp. Promotes Plant Growth and Suppresses Foot Rot Disease in Black Pepper (Piper nigrum L.) in the Nursery

Foot rot disease (Phytophthora capsici) causes severe economic losses to cultivators of black pepper. Fungicides used for managing the adversely affect export potential product due their residual toxicity. Endospore-forming bacterial strains, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens VLY24, pumilus VLY17, and velezensis PCSE10 were evaluated growth promotion suppression in pepper nursery at two locations Kerala, India. All isolates could suppress Phytophthora capsici under vitro conditions. Spraying detached leaves with a cell suspension delay development progression lesion. In vivo trials, bacterized cuttings had better establishment when compared uninoculated control. Plant parameters like number leaves, roots, shoots more cuttings. Cuttings treated VLY17 challenge inoculated pathogen, showed 84.74 percent reduction size lesions on least index (0.27) pathogen It is proposed that endospore forming spp. anti-oomycetic activity be biocontrol agents against foot