SURVEY, ISOLATION AND CULTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF ALTERNARIA BRASSICAE (BERK.) SACC., FORM THE NATURALLY INFECTED FIELDS OF CAULIFLOWER IN AGRA UTTAR PRADESH INDIA

Abstract

One of the most destructive fungi, Alternaria brassicae (Berk) Sacc., is responsible for the Alternaria blight, also known as the leaf blight disease of cauliflower, which causes a serious qualitative and quantitative yield loss in cabbage and cauliflower at the curd formation and seed setting stages. Thus the current study was carried out to determine the disease occurrence and to conduct in-depth studies of the morphological and cultural characteristics of the fungi. Survey was taken up in districts Agra UP India. Shamshabad recorded the highest disease incidence at 35%, while Malpura recorded the lowest at 8%. From the disease samples, 11 isolates were recovered and purified.All the cultures did well using potato dextrose agar.There were variations in the sporulation and mycelial growth. The study of cultural and morphological characteristics of various isolates of Alternaria spp. showed that the mycelia were septate and that conidia were formed in chains from the conidiophores. Both longitudinal and transverse septa make up conidia, which are beaked.