POTENTIAL OF SOME BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM COMPOST ORGANIC MANURE IN THE CONTROL OF COCOYAM (Colocasia spp) LEAF BLIGHT DISEASE

An investigation of bacteria isolates from composted manure and their potential in the control of Phytophtora colocasiae was carried out in the Teaching and Research Farm of Imo State University, Nigeria. Bacteria organisms isolated from composted organic materials (manure) were tested against the Phytophtora colocasiae which is the pathogen that causes leaf blight disease in cocoyam. Results revealed four bacterial isolates- Pseudomonas spp., Bacillus spp., Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus from the composted manure. The results also showed that Pseudomonas spp. Bacillus spp., Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus gave mean diameter of growth inhibition of 43.167mm, 40.353mm, 19.667mm and 17.333mm, respectively. There was no significant difference (P?0.05) in mean diameter of growth inhibition between Pseudmonas spp. and Bacillus spp. but the two were significantly different from that of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Observations showed that the bacterial isolates from the composted manure were more effective in their antagonism activity when the disease pathogen concentration was lower. Based on the antagonism properties of Pseudomonas spp. and Bacillus spp., they serve as potential agents in the program involving biological control of cocoyam leaf blight diseases.