Status of Seed Mycoflora of Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.)

By : Pankaj Agarwal , S C Jain , Rekha Kumawat

Page No: 65-71

Abstract
Six seed samples were collected from different sources, showing deformed (shrivelled and gall formed), discoloured (brown) and damaged (insects and mechanical) seeds. Impurities of one kind or other were also seen in all the six samples. Six different kinds of fungal spores were detected by Seed Washing Test on the seed testa of all the seed samples tested. The spore load was maximum in sample ‘E’, while it was minimum in sample ‘F’. A total of eight seed borne fungi were obtained in Blotter and Agar Plate Methods and these were Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Drechslera australiensis, Fusarium moniliforme, Fusarium oxysporum and Rhizopus sp. Highest count of mycoflora was observed by Agar Plate Method in sample E followed by ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, ‘D’ and ‘F’ in comparison to Blotter Method.

Authors :
Pankaj Agarwal, S C Jain and Rekha Kumawat : Department of Plant Pathology, S.K.N. College of Agriculture, Jobner-303329 (Jaipur), Rajasthan