Growth Promotion and Disease Resistance in Muskmelon Induced by Crude Proteins of Penicillium verruculosum Against Gummy Stem Blight Disease

Background and Objective: Melon cultivation is more depended on synthetic fungicides to control gummy stem blight caused by Stagonosporopsis cucurbitacearum (KJ782214). This study mainly aimed to minimize the use of harmful chemicals to control disease by inventing the biological alternatives. Materials and Methods: The crude proteins (CP) were extracted from rhizospheric fungi Penicillium verruculosum (Talaromyces verruculosus) (KU645999) to understand the growth promoting and disease protection ability of CP at four concentrations against gummy stem blight pathogen. Results: The CP treatment at 100 μg mLG1 for 6 h showed enhance vegetative growth parameters like germination (90%), seedling vigor (2329.11), plant height (42.35 cm), number of leaves (5) and root and shoot weights (0.05-2.3 g) and chlorophyll content (4.16 mg gG1) when compared to control. The CP treatment at 100 μg mLG1 for 6 h also exhibits considerable disease protection of 74.37%, which was found to be higher compared to control and almost equal to the effectiveness of fungicide (Mancozeb) treated (94.03%) plants. Conclusion: Present study concludes with the invention of protein composition of the rhizospheric fungi from muskmelon field as potential alternative to harmful chemicals in controlling the disease.