EFFECT OF ORGANIC AMENDMENTS ON THE EFFICACY OF PSEUDOMONAS-AERUGINOSA IN THE CONTROL OF ROOT-ROT DISEASE OF SUNFLOWER

Soil amendment with neem seed cake, cotton seed cake, Datura fastuosa and Steochospermum marginatum significantly (p<0.05) reduced Fusarium solani whereas neem seed cake and cotton seed cake were effective agai nst Macrophomina phaseolina and Rhizoctonia solani, while Steochosperm um marginatum and D. fastuosa against Rhizoctonia solani infection on sunflower roots. Pseudomonas aeruginosa,the plant growth Promoting bac terium significantly controlled root rot disease of sunflower caused b y M. phaseolina, R. solani and F. solani. Use of P. aeruginosa with ne em seed cake and S. marginatum produced greater fresh weight of shoot and plant height respectively as compared to their separate use.