Abstract
Studies were carried out on seed mycoflora of Anthocephalus chinensis, Acer caesium, Grewia optiva, Buchanania lanzan, Terminalia chebula, Chuckrasia velutina, Acacia nilotica, Pinus gerardiana and Eucalyptus. In all nineteen fungi were found associated with seeds of which Penicilium citrinum, P. brefeldianum, Curvularia lunata, Cladosporium cladosporioides, Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A. sulphureus, A. ochraceus, Fusarium semitectum, F. graminearum, Xylaria and Spicaria spp. were recorded on Eucalyptus; four fungi, i.e., Chlamydomyces palmarum, F. semitectum, Rhizopus stolonifer and Melanospora lagenaria on A.caesium; ten fungi, i.e., A. niger, A. ochraceus, A. flavus, P. citrinum, Alternaria alternata, R. stolonifer, F. semitectum, F. avenaceum, Mucor hiemalis and Thielaviopsis bassicola on A. chinensis; six fungi, i.e., C. cladosporioides, A. flavus, F. semitectum, F. graminearum, R. stolonifer and P. citrinum on G. optiva. Six fungi namely A. niger, A. flavus, A. ochraceus, P. citrinum, A. alternata and R. nigricans on C. velutina; five fungi, i.e., A. flavus, A. niger, A. ochraceus, P. citrinum and R. stolonifer both on P. gerardiana and A. nilotica; five fungi, i.e., A. flavus, A. ochraceus, P.citrinum, F. avenaceum and R. stolonifer on B. lanzan. Seed mycoflora of T. chebula also comprised five fungi except A. alternata in place of A. ochraceus. However, the percentage of fungal colonies on seeds of different tree species differed greatly.
Seed treatment with fungicides showed that Emisan was most effective to control seed mycoflora of Eucalyptus and G. optiva followed by Bavistin, Thiram and Dithane M-45 while in case of A. chinensis Emisan was most effective followed by Thiram, Dithane M-45 and Bavistin. However, in case of A. caesium a mixture of Emisan and Bavistin checked growth of seed mycoflora more effectively followed by Emisan, Bavistin, Thiram and Dithane M-45. In case of B. lanzan, T. chebula, C. velutina and P. gerardiana seed mycoflora was effectively controlled by teatment with Emisan followed by Dithane M-45, Thiram and Bavistin. Whereas in case of A. nilotica Emisan, Thiram and Dithane M-45 were equally effective in controlling seed mycoflora followed by Bavistin. On the other hand, Topsin and Copper oxychloride were least effective in controlling seed mycoflora. On the basis of present findings seed treatment with fungicides is recommended to control seed infestation and deterioration by fungi as it is easy, economical and effective.
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