Incidence of Black Point Disease in Agra Region During 2017-2018 PDF

Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education Vol. 16, Issue No. 9, June-2019, ISSN 2230-7540 Incidence of Black Point Disease in Agra Region During 2017-2018 Dr. Sarika Yadav* Assistant Pro...

Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education Vol. 16, Issue No. 9, June-2019, ISSN 2230-7540 Incidence of Black Point Disease in Agra Region During 2017-2018 Dr. Sarika Yadav* Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Agra College, Agra Abstract – During the wheat crop of 2017-2018, black point disease was studied in 553 samples of wheat grain collected just after harvest in the month of May 2018. The average percent incidence in Agra was found to be 54.6%. The maximum incidence (73.0%) was recorded from wheat samples collected from Kheragarh tehsil and the minimum incidence (45.2%) was noted in samples collected from Karaoli tehsil. study relating to fungi associated with discolored wheat kernels revealed the presence of 11 fungal species, out of which Alternaria alternate showed maximum present incidence and abundance. The next prominent world was Curvularia lunata followed by Alternaria triticina and Helminthosporium naturism. Other fungi of minor importance include Aspergillus flavors, A. ochraceus, A. Niger. Bipolaris sorokiniana Cladosporium herbarium fusarium graniunearum and nigrospors oryzae occur during the harvest period in western U.P including Agra. Therefore, it was considered important to assess seed lots of wheat for the occurrence of black point disease which decreases the quality and germinability of wheat grains. -----------------------------------X---------------------------------- INTRODUCTION considered important to assess seed lots of wheat for the occurrence of black point disease, which In India no major crop has achieved the growth rate decreases the quality and germinability of wheat comparable to wheat in production with this increase grains. in production and area awareness of diseases and pests has also increased certain disease which was MATERIAL AND METHODS considered unimportant in the past have become disease is ―black point of wheat‖, which is also A total of653 samples of freshly harvested wheat known as ―smudge‖ in many parts of the world and grains were collected from villagers of 5 tehsils viz., can be identified as a disease with superficial black Sadar, Etmadpur, Kheragarh, karaoke, and bah of to brown lesions on wheat grains (Neergaard 1979). Agra district were collected in sterilized polythene The introduction of Mexican blood in the Indian bags in May 2018 these samples were visually wheat cultivars has undoubtedly resulted in the observed for black/brown coloration on glass plates development of high yielding wheat varieties but the and percent incidence of black point disease of point (Agarwal and Verma, 1975) wheat was calculated (Table 1). The black point disease of wheat was reported for Later,400 grains from each sample showing a the first time in India by Dasthur in 1932 from the discoloration of seeds were surface-sterilized central provinces (Dasthur, 1932). Thus disease has with2% sodium hypochlorite solution for 5 minutes been reported from Canada, the USA, Argentina, and then washed with sterile water twice and Germany, Italy, Morocco, South Africa, India, and subsequently plated on Petri dishes containing java. In India the disease is prevalent in almost all solidified PDA medium@10 grains per plate. The the states where wheat crop is grown Joshi et. al., plates were finally incubated in B.O.D. incubator at (1969) reported an outbreak of the disease in an 28+ 1degree centigrade for 6 days in an alternate epidemic form in 1967-68 in the northern wheat belt cycle of 12 hours fluorescent light and 12 hours of the country. they stated that due to the prolonged darkness following rules of international rules of wet weather in Punjab, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar seed testing Association (Anonymus,1966) after Pradesh in 1967-68 just before harvest, black point incubation period the plates were studied with the www.ignited.in disease had a widespread occurrence. Khethrpal et help of stereo binocular and normal compound al. , (1980) also observed that high relative humidity microscope for the association of molds with the with frequent rains was conducive to the incidence of discolored portion of wheat grains. Finally, fungal black point disease. In the past 3-4 years, species were separated, purified, and identified unseasonal rains occur during the harvest period in with the help of descriptions given by Barnett western UP including Agra. Therefore, it was Dr. Sarika Yadav* 716  Incidence of Black Point Disease in Agra Region During 2017-2018 (1960) and Subramaniam (1971). the results are (1935) reported that 70% of wheat grains affected by mentioned. black point in India, had Helminthosporium sativum and that the mycelium was present in the seed coat. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS However, dastur(1948) isolated cochliobolus tritici, nigrospora sphaerica, sclerotium roofs, Table 1: Percent incidence of black point disease Helminthosporium sp, and Rhizoctonia sp. from the of wheat in different tehsils of Agra during 2017- black point affected wheat kernels. London and 18 Srivastava were (1953) reported that blackening of wheat grains was due to unusual rains during March and April and the blackening was confined not only to grains but was also present on the glumes. The fungus is mainly responsible for this blackening was Alternaria tenuis (now known as Alternaria alternata). Further, Parashar and prayer (1965) also reported that wheat crops in Punjab were severely damaged by black point caused by Alternaria tenuis (syn. Alternaria alternata) and Helminthosporium sanatorium. However, Hasija (1964) found the presence of auricularia pallascens in black point affected grains of wheat. Thus, these reports support our findings that the black point of wheat is Table 2: fungi associated with black point mainly caused by Alternaria alternata, affected samples of wheat just after harvest Helminthosporium satire, and auricularia lunata and is favored by high humidity and moderate temperature. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The author is highly thankful to the principal, Agra College, Agra, and Dr. P.B. Jha, Head, Botany Department Agra College for providing lab facilities and encouragement. REFERENCES 1. Agarwal, V.K, and Verma, H.S (1975) Discoloration of seeds. Seed Tech, News 5; pp. 1-2. 2. Anonymous (1966) International Rules for Seed Testing, Proc.Int. Seed Testing A perusal of Table 1. This indicates that the percent Assoc. 31; pp. 1-52 incidence of black point disease of wheat varies from place to place in Agra district. The maximum percent 3. Bolley, H.L (1913) wheat: Soil troubles and incidence (73.0) of this disease was recorded in deterioration North Dakota Agr. Exp. Sta. samples of Karaoli. The average percent incidence Bull, 107 of black point disease in wheat was noted to be 54.6%. the results presented in Table 2 indicate the 4. Dastur J.F (1935) Microscopic characters percent incidence and abundance of fungi found to of black point disease of wheat in the be associated with a black coloration of wheat grains central provinces proc. World Gram in the Agra plate technique. This table shows the Exhib.Conb., Regina, Canada 2; pp. 253- presence of 11 fungi, of which Alternaria alternate 255 showed maximum percent incidence and percent abundance. On the other hand, the minimum 5. Bernett, H.L (1960) illustrated Generaof incidence and abundance were shown by imperfect fungi burgers pub. Co., 426 Sixth Acremonium crits. The next abundant mold was Street, Minneapolis, USA. curunlaria lunata followed by Alternaria triticina and www.ignited.in Helminthosporium Saturn. Further, Aspergillus 6. Galloway, L.D (1935) New plant disease flavors and Aochracens revealed an incidence of recorded in 1935 Int. Ball. Plant Prot.10; 32.50 and 32.00% respectively. Other forms showed pp. 121-22 less than 30% incidence. According to Bolley (1913), species of Alternaria and Helminthosporium are the chief causes of wheat grain discoloration. Galloway Dr. Sarika Yadav* 717  Journal of Advances and Scholarly Researches in Allied Education Vol. 16, Issue No. 9, June-2019, ISSN 2230-7540 7. Hasija, S.K (1964) A new record of Curvularia pallescens based on wheat grains. Indian Phythopath. 16; pp. 375-77 8. Joshi, L.M., Dharamvir, Adlakha, K.L. (1969). Black point disease of wheat. Proc. Ind.Sci.Cong 56 p. 12 9. Khetarpal, R.K, Agrarwal, V.K. and Chauhan, K.P.S (1900) Studies on the influence of weather conditions on the incidence of black point and Karnal bunt of triticale Seed Res. 8; pp. 108-10 10. Neergaard, P. (1979) Seed Pathology Vol 1, The MacMillan Press Ltd. London pp. 839 11. Parasher, R.D, and Pracer, C.S (1965) Black point or Kernel Smudge disease of wheat. J.Res Ludhiana 2; pp.. 115-119. 12. Subramaniam, C.V. (1971) Hyphomycetes ICAR, New Delhi, 13. Tandon, R.N and Srivastava, J.P (1953), Black Point disease of wheat. Proc. 40th Indian Sci Congr. Pt III pp-77 Corresponding Author Dr. Sarika Yadav* Assistant Professor, Department of Botany, Agra College, Agra www.ignited.in Dr. Sarika Yadav* 718