Antifungal activity and induced resistance in pea by aqueous extract of vermicompost and for control of powdery mildew of pea and balsam

Vermicompost (VC) is a nutritionally rich natural organic fertilizer, which releases nutrients relatively slowly in the soil. It improves quality of the plants along with physical and biological properties of soil, i.e., soil aeration, water-holding capacity and ecological balance of microbial soil biota. Aqueous extracts of vermicompost (AVC) inhibited spore germination of several fungi. They also affected the development of powdery mildews on balsam (Impatiens balsamina) and pea (Pisum sativum) caused by Erysiphe cichoracearum and Erysiphe pisi, respectively, in the field at very low concentrations (0.1-0.5%). Soil amendment with VC (1-5%) induced synthesis of phenolic acids in pea. Maximum phenolic acids were detected in pea plants treated with 4% VC followed by 3% as compared to control. The induction of phenolic acids in plants was correlated with the degree of resistance in treated as compared to non-treated (control) pea plants. The growth of plants grown in VC-amended soil was much better than the growth of plants raised in non-amended soil.