JOURNAL OF PURE AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Dec. 2014. Vol. 8(6), p. Proof * To whom all correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: sudheermbt@gmail.com Management of Stem Gall Disease in Coriander Using Pseudomonas and Trichoderma (Bioagents) and Fungicides Gagan Kumar 1, 2 , S.K. Yadav 3 *, J.S. Patel 3 , A. Sarkar 1 and L.P. Awasthi 2 1 Department of Mycology & Plant Pathology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi - 221005, India. 2 Department of Plant Pathology, N.D. University of Agriculture and Technology, Kumarganj, Faizabad -224001, India. 3 Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi - 221005, India. (Received: 11 September 2014; accepted: 20 November 2014) Seed spices have emerged as one of the important group of spice crop in India. The global demand estimated for seed spices crop is about 150000 tonnes, and India contributes 70,125 tonnes annually accounting to 47 % of the total world trade. The cultivation of seed spice crop suffers from major disease like stem gall (Protomyces macrosporus Unger). In this investigation the effect of seed treatment and foliar spray of bioagents Trichoderma viride , Pseudomonas fluorescens and fungicides like Carbendazim, Ridomil, Blitox-50, Hexaconazole and Propiconazole on the incidence of stem gall disease of coriander tested. The trial was conducted in a Randomized Block Design with three replications and eight treatments including check. Hexaconazole as seed treatment (0.2%) and foliar spray after 40,60 and 75 DAS (0.2%) is more effective treatment for management of stem gall disease of coriander than the seed treatment of biofungicides like Trichoderma viride (0.4%) and foliar spray of Trichoderma species (0.4%) after 40,60 and 75 days of sowing. Maximum seed yield in Hexaconazole and Propaconazole treatment was at par to each other. Maximum cost benefit ratio of 1:4.36 was observed in the seed treatment of IISR Trichoderma liquid formulation @ 0.4% + foliar spray at 40, 60 and 75 DAS @ 0.4%. Key words: Stem gall disease, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Trichoderma viride, Hexaconazole, Propaconazole. Seed spices have emerged as one of the important group of spice crop in India. The global demand estimated for seed spices crop is about 150000 tonnes, of which India contributes 70,125 tonnes annually accounting to 47 % of the total world trade 10 . The cultivation of this most important seed spice crop suffers from major disease like stem gall (Protomyces macrosporus Unger.) and other diseases like wilt, powdery mildew etc. Among them stem gall diseases bear importance due to severe loss in the yield of seed. The symptom first appears as gall like appearances on the lower part of stem which gradually extends upwards to flower and seeds. The diseased seed are hypertrophied depending upon the stage of infection, ultimately lowering the crop yield and quality. Seeds looses their value in respect to seed and consumption as well 2-3 . Studies undertaken in the past on stem gall disease shows clearly that disease appears continuously in every year in the field of coriander grown on high pH soil, moisture, and adverse ecological & adaptic factors 8 . Soil and infected seed material serve as a source of inoculum causing heavy loss in Eastern U.P. and other states 1, 4, 5, 8 . Studies on complete management of disease in the field are still lacking.