Bio encapsulation of bio control agents for effective management of collar rot (Rhizoctonia solani) in coffee (Coffea arabica)

Collar rot or damping off disease occurs on one to four month old tender coffee (Coffea Arabica) seedlings in the nursery. Sometimes, the collar rot pathogen infects coffee seeds sown on the seed beds and prevents the germination. However, the pathogen fails to establish in coffee seedlings when the stem at collar region turns brown in color and becomes harder. It is a soil inhibiting fungus with a wide host range including coffee.