Efficacy of native bacillus subtilis against postharvest penicillium rot pathogen Penicillium sp. of Khasi Mandarin Oranges in Meghalaya, India

Khasi mandarin orange is an important horticulture crop in Meghalaya but several losses have been reported due to the post-harvest disease Penicillium rot caused by Penicillium sp. B. subtilis was evaluated for its efficacy against Penicillium sp. under in-vitro. A total of 260 isolates were isolated from samples collected from different habitats of Meghalaya. Twelve B. subtilis isolates were identified by morphological, biochemical and molecular identification and studied for their antagonistic properties against Penicillium sp.