Vol. 10, Issue 4 (2021)

Author(s):
M Rajendraprasad, B Vidya Sagar, G Uma Devi, C Narendra Reddy and S Triveni

Abstract:
The present investigation was undertaken with the main objective to determine studies on seed borne fungi of safflower were conducted at Department of Plant Pathology, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. A total of 41 safflower seed samples were collected from ARS, Tandur. Blotter method and agar plate methods were used for detection of seed mycoflora of safflower seeds. Across the two methods adopted, a total of seven fungal genera including Alternaria sps., Aspergillus nigar, Aspergillus flavus, Chaetomium sps., Rhizopus sps Curvularia sps, Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium sps were detected. The fungi detected were identified based on their cultural and morphological characteristics. The fungal species namely A. flavus and A. niger was found associated with all the tested varieties/germplasms while species of Alternaria sps., Chaetomium, Rhizopus sps., Curvularia sps., Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium sps were not detected in some of the varieties/germplasms. Among the eight fungal species detected the occurrence of was high 42.52 per cent followed by Aspergillus flavus. The cultivar, PBNS-12 showed higher per cent incidence of seed mycoflora. Out of 41 genotypes tested the total percentage incidence of mycoflora was highest in variety PBNS-12 (90-92.5 per cent) while it was lowest in variety TSF-86 and SSF -1305 (25 -27.5 Per cent) respectively. Incidence of seed mycoflora varied across the methods adopted and cultivars tested. The highest per cent incidence of 42.52% was observed with the fungus on A. niger in agar plate method. Out of the two methods tested blotter method was found superior over agar plate method in which higher number of fungi were recorded.