Page 507 - AWSAR 2.0

M. anisopliae controlling blast fungus
Pectinase enzyme production
B. bassiana controlling brown spot fungus
Caseinase enzyme production
B. bassiana controlling sheath blight fungus
Amylase enzyme production
P. lilacinous controlling brown spot fungus
Zinc Solubilastion
Ms. Lipa Deb || 483
to grow strong by providing essential nutrients for which we usually depend on fertilizers. Not only that, these fungi also do miracles with their capability of growing inside the plant body without even affecting it. In this process, they create wonders by increasing their immunity manifolds, so they can protect our plants from external dangers such as insects or bad microorganisms.
No doubt, such dynamic personality of these fungi has attracted scientists around the world to utilize them as potential biocontrol agents of many insects, pests and microorganisms and as a nutrient source for plants, especially when there is huge concern over the use of synthetic chemicals in agriculture fields having an impact on our food and health. In recent times, these fungi have boosted the crop protection market as one of the most promising microbial biopesticides and an eco-friendly alternative to chemical pesticides. The demands have been uprising higher with the increasing needs of organic food, environmental safety concern, as well as long-term sustainability goals.
The present story marks the successful utilization of native isolated fungal microorganisms, viz. Beauveria bassiana,
Metarhizium anisopliae, Paecilomyces lilacinous and Nomurea rileyi from different ecosystems of Meghalaya such as forestlands, rice fields as well botanical gardens. It even inks the new report of the occurrence of grasshopper killing fungus Paecilomyces acridomorphum in the world. These fungi showed remarkable pieces of evidence in subsiding the growth of different disease-causing microorganisms of rice such as Pyricularia oryzae (blast disease), Bipolaris oryzae (brown spot disease), Rhizoctonia solani (sheath blight disease) and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (bacterial blight disease). Not only that, it also stands outstanding in killing rice insect-pests such as grasshopper, leaf folder and bugs. Various arsenals were found as deadly enzymes (chitinases, proteases, lipases, amylase, caseinases, and pectinases) linked to their genes, with the capability of hydrogen cyanide production, iron-competing siderophore production, nitrogen fixation and phosphate and potassium solubilization.
The present study was conducted in CPGSAS, CAU, Meghalaya, under the guidance of Dr. R.K. Tombisana Devi, Dr. D. Thakuria and Dr. K. Ningthoujam. The expected outcome of this research is the development of