J. Bio. & Env. Sci. 2014 370 | Hussain et al RESEARCH PAPER OPEN ACCESS Bioefficacy of botanical extracts and bioagents against sclerotial isolates of Rhizoctonia solani Azhar Hussain 1 , Muhammad Saeed Awan 1 , Sher Wali Khan 2 , Muhammad Anees 3 , Sartaj Ali , Qammar Abbas 2 , Amjad Ali 1 1 Department of Agriculture and Food Technology Karakoram International University Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan Pakistan 2 Department of Biological Sciences Karakoram International University Gilgit, Gilgit-Baltistan Pakistan 3 Department of Microbiology University of Science and Technology Kohat Pakistan Article published on June 18, 2014 Key words: Botanical extract, bioagent, potato, black scurf Rhizoctonia solani, isolates, poison and dual culture. Abstract The antifungal efficacy of six botanical extracts viz., Cannabis sativa L., Peganum harmala L., Datura starmonium L., Artemisia brevifolium L., Capparis spinosa L., Mentha royleana L. and two bioagents viz., Trichoderma harizanum and Trichoderma viride were evaluated in vitro against sclerotial isolates of Rhizoctonia solani causing black scurf of potato through food poison and dual culture technique, respectively. The data revealed that increasing concentration form 5 to 15% of botanical extract suppressed the mycelial growth of all isolates. A highest antifungal property was found in C. sativa which was followed by P.harmala and D. starmonium while least in Capparis spinosa. Mycelial inhibition range in the concentrations of 5-15% were recorded in C. sativa (36.43-80.00%) P.harmala (26.71-69.20%), D. starmonium (26.44-70.28 %), A.brevifolium (24.04-66.67%) C. spinosa (21.70-50.16%) and M. royleana (24.14-61.94). Highest sensitivity against botanical extracts was observed in isolates RS10, RS4 and RS5 while least in RS12 and RS16 at concentration of 5, 10 and 15% respectively. Among the tested bioagents mycelial growth inhibition of R. solani isolates was recorded in case of T.harzianum (48.32-72.72%) and T.viride (28.75-56.80%). T. harzanium caused highest mycelial inhibition in isolate RS10 and least effective in isolate RS4 whereas T.viride was most effective in isolates RS3 and least in isolate RS15. * Corresponding Author: Azhar Hussain  azharkiu@googlemail.com Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES) ISSN: 2220-6663 (Print) 2222-3045 (Online) Vol. 4, No. 6, p. 370-380, 2014 http://www.innspub.net