ABSTRACT
This paper deals with six Trichoderma species screened for plant growth response in tomato (Lycopersicum esculantum L.) under pot experimental conditions. The inoculation of different Trichoderma species alone and in combination showed a positive influence on plant growth and biomass production. Trichoderma viride(Tv), T. harzianum (Th), and dual inoculated plants with Trichoderma viride + T. harzianum showed a significant increase in plant growth measured in terms of shoot and root lengths, their fresh and dry weights as well as yield parameters. The dual inoculated plants with Tv + Th showed an enhanced shoot and root height by 24.46 and 27.23% and by 15.85 and 14.73%, respectively over Trichoderma species treated singly either with T. viride or T. harzianum. The growth response was observed to increase proportionately with an increase in the age of the crop. The plants treated with Tv, Th, and dual inoculated plants showed statistically significant increase in shoot and root fresh and dry weights over control and other treatments of Trichoderma species. Fruit yield showed statistically significant increase in the plants treated with five Trichoderma species. However, plants treated with T. pseudokoningi showed a marked increase in fruit yield over the control, but were not significantly increased.
