Seed mycoflora associated with different varieties of chilli

Abstract

Isolation and identification of seed mycoflora associated with seeds of four varieties of chilli viz., GVC101, GVC-111, GVC-121 and AVNP-C-131 were conducted by standard blotter method and agar plate method. The fungi isolated were Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, Colletotrichum sp., Fusarium sp., Alternaria sp., Penicillium sp., Curvularia sp., M. phaseolina, unidentified sterile fungi with septate mycelium and unidentified sterile fungi with aseptate mycelium. The fungi isolated by standard blotter method were A. niger (1.50 2.00%), A. flavus (1.50-3.00%), Colletotrichum sp. (1.25-2.75%), Fusarium sp. (0.75-2.50%) and Alternaria sp. (0.75%), whereas fungi isolated by agar plate method were A. niger (7.50-14.00%), A. flavus (2.25-4.75%), Colletotrichum sp. (10.50-11.50%), Fusarium sp. (8.50-12.00%), Alternaria sp. (2.00-2.50%), Penicillium sp. (0.75-2.25%), Curvularia sp. (1.00 - 1.75%), M. phaseolina (1.00-1.50%), unidentified sterile fungi with septate mycelium (0.75%) and unidentified sterile fungi with aseptate mycelium (0.75-1.00%). The common and dominant fungi recorded were A. niger (0.00-14.00%), Colletotrichum sp. (1.25-11.50%) and Fusarium sp. (0.00-12.00%). Genotype GVC 101 and GVC 111 were found as most susceptible as maximum number of mycoflora were detected from these varieties. Agar plate method was found more effective as total ten fungal species were isolated by this method as compared to only five fungal species in standard blotter method.