| Abstrakt: |
Plant growth-promoting indigenous fungi (PGPIF) associated with plants have been used effectively in inducing plant resistance and increasing plant growth. This study aimed to isolate the potential indigenous fungi from maize plants such as PGPIF and their effects on maize seed germination. Sampling was done by purposively sampling the rhizosphere, rhizoplane, stem, and leaf tissue of maize. The isolation of fungi from the rhizosphere and rhizoplane was carried out by a serial dilution technique, endophytic fungi were isolated from the tissue of leaves and stems of maize cultured on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. Antagonism test was carried out using the dual culture method on PDA medium using Fusarium verticillioides as the pathogen. The pathogenicity test and the effect on maize seed germination were done by using the blotter test method by observing necrotic symptoms in seed germination. In addition, observations were also made on the length of the plumules, the length of the radicles, and the number of roots formed. 12 out of 42 fungal isolates showed inhibitory activity against F. verticillioides by ≥50%. The HMRP3, HMRP5, HMRP9, HMRP10, and HMEDF3A isolates significantly increased the length of maize seedlings compared to the control. In addition, PGPIF isolates were also able to stimulate primary root growth, where only HMRP5, HMRP9, and HMRP10 isolates had a significant effect on primary root length compared to controls. Selected HMRP7, HMRP9, HMRP10, HMRF7A, HMEDF6A, HMEDF1B, and CHM01 fungal isolates consistently had a positive effect on seed germination with values ≥90% and did not cause necrosis in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
