PATHOGENIC POTENTIALITY OF FUNGI ISOLATED FROM SEEDS OF THREE HILL COTTON VARIETIES (GOSSYPIUM ARBOREUM L.)

Abstract

Twelve species of fungi, namely Aspergillus flavus Link., A. fumigatus
Fresenius., A. niger van Tiegh (Type-I)., A. niger van Tiegh (Type-II), Chaetomium
globosum Kunze ex Fr., Curvularia lunata (Wakker) Boedijn, Fusarium moniliforme
var. subglutinans Wr. & Reink, F. sporotrichioides Sherb., Mem., Penicillium Link.,
Pestalotiopsis guepinii (Desm.) Stay., Rhizoctonia solani J.G. Kühn, Rhizopus
stolonifer (Ehrenb.: Fr.) Vuill and Trichoderma viride Pers were isolated from the
seeds of three cotton varieties (HC-1, HC-2 and HC-3) following “Tissue
planting” and “Blotter” methods. Among the isolated fungi, six, namely A.
flavus, A. niger, C. lunata, F. moniliforme var. subglutinans, F. sporotrichioides and
Rhizoctonia solani showed pathogenic potentiality following seed inoculation
technique. These pathogenic fungi had remarkable effect on seed germination,
root shoot length and mortality of cotton seedlings.