The present study envisaged to document the endophytic fungal association with black pepper through a series of in vitro and in planta investigations. Black pepper was found to harbour endophytic fungal flora belonging to the genera Alternaria, Acremonium, Aspergillus, Cladosporium, Chaetomium, Curvularia, Colletotrichum, Fusarium, Humicola, Paecilomyces, Rhizoctonia, Phoma and non-sporulating forms. Further, it was found that the endocarp of black pepper seed is free from culturable endophytic fungi. This was evident from the absence of culturable fungi in in vitro grown black pepper seedlings. The growth of fungi from the seedlings grown under green house conditions reveal that the fungal endophytes establish from fungal propagules falling on the (test) plants that may enter the plant tissues as back ground inoculum and grow as endophyte. This was also supported by the study that the type of endophytic fungi that harbour black pepper plants varied with geographical locations from where the samples were collected.

revealed that there existed significant differences among the hybrids for all the characters studied (except for days taken to flowering and duration of fruiting) when analysed for individual years and also when pooled over the years. It was found that the average significant maximum plant height was recorded in Priya followed by Himsona. The significant average number of branches plant-1 were maximum in Arka Shreshta followed by Arka Ananya. There was no significant difference for days taken to flowering and duration of fruiting among the hybrids. The significant maximum average number of fruit plant-1 was recorded in Abhinava and the significant highest mean yield was obtained from Abhinava.

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Vermicompost amended with suitable combinations of biocontrol agents and biofertilizer organisms were tested for their effect on plant growth and disease suppression in black pepper in planta. The biocontrol agents viz. P. aeruginosa (MTCC 5178 and MTCC5411), Curtobacterium luteum (strain TC 10) an endophytic bacteria, T. harzianum (MTCC5179), P. chlamydosporia (MTCC5412) and strain of biofertilizer organisms viz. Azospirillum sp. (N 2 fixer), P. fluorescens (P-solubilizers) and Paenibacillus glucanolyticus (Potash mobilizer) were used in the study. These strains have been individually proved as efficient in disease suppression and growth promotion in black pepper. Since these organisms are applied almost at the same time for different functions such as Phytophthora and nematode suppression, growth promotion etc, it is intended to develop a consortium holding all the potential organisms together in a common base media so that all of them can be introduced into the rhizosphere environment in a single application, that not only save time but also economical by way of reducing the cost of application. Vermicompost was selected as the base medium and the organisms having specific functions were individually tested for their growth and proliferation in vermicompost both under sterile and non-sterile conditions. The result showed that both non-sterile and sterile vermicompost supported the growth of all the targeted organisms except Pochonia chlamydosporia that showed a negative trend. When this bio-amended vermicompost medium was applied to the plant base and challenged with Phytopthora capsici, the consortium holding P aeruginosa (strain IISR 853) + T. harzianum + biofertilizer showed comparatively significant growth when compared to all other combinations. However, the lowest disease incidence (5.6%) was observed with P aeruginosa (strain IISR 6) + biofertilizer organisms. Since P aeruginosa (strain IISR 853) + T. harzianum + biofertilizer showed increased growth and at par with the best combination for disease suppression, it is possible to use this consortium also for the better growth and disease suppression in black pepper. Crop losses due to foot rot caused by Phytophthora capsici is recognized as one of the major causes for the low productivity of black pepper in India. The pathogen infects all parts of the vine