Int.J.Curr.Microbiol.App.Sci (2018) 7(6): 3515-3518 3515 Original Research Article https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2018.706.412 Management of Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] Seed Mycoflora by Means of Bio-agents in vitro Sonal Vaja 1* , Nikunj Sohaliya 1 and Bipin Vahunia 1 1Department of Plant Pathology, N. M. College of Agriculture, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat 396 450, India *Corresponding author ABSTRACT Introduction Sorghum is known to suffer from more than 30 fungal diseases (USDA, 1960). Important seed borne fungal diseases recorded on sorghum are stalk rot, target spot, stalk rot/ anthracnose/red leaf, seed rot/stalk rot, seedling blight/charcoal rot and covered smut/grain smut (Richardson, 1990). Among them, the grain infecting molds have become a major constraint of early maturing high yielding hybrids and improved varieties that are grown during the rainy season (Thakur et al., 2006). These losses in potential yield, mold fungi which grow on the seed substratum produce mycotoxins which are hazardous to man and animals (Halt, 1994). Seed is the most important input for crop production. Pathogen free healthy seed is urgently needed for desired plant populations and good harvest. Though the regular fungicides used for seed treatment are found to inhibit growth of the seed borne pathogens and their role in improvement of seed quality is poorly understood (Raju et al., 1999). Seed treatment for controlling plant diseases has been termed as the “pain less method” for farmers. In under developing country like International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 7 Number 06 (2018) Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas.com Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is a vital life-sustaining food crop for human being as well as for livestock in many parts of world. In India, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu are major sorghum growing states. Therefore, investigation was undertaken during 2016 at N. A. U., Navsari on isolation of sorghum seed infecting fungi, (Colletotrichum sp., Fusarium moniliforme, Alternaria alternata, Curvularia lunata, Macrophomina sp., Aspergillus niger and A. flavus.) and symptomatology induced by these seed infecting fungi, affect on seed quality, loss of seed germination and seedling vigour. Therefore seeds are treated with bio-control agents. All the tested bio-control agents were found significantly superior in inhibiting the mycelial growth of the pathogen over control. Among them seed treated with Trichoderma viride recorded highest seed germination (83.00%) and shoot length (7.10 cm). The maximum root length recorded in Trichoderma harzianum (6.90 cm) and maximum seedling vigour index recorded in Pseudomonas fluorescens (1137.60). Keywords Sorghum, Seed mycflora, Bio- control agents, in vitro Accepted: 25 May 2018 Available Online: 10 June 2018 Article Info