Vol. 11, Issue 3 (2022)

Author(s):
Sunita J Magar, Banne SN, Mulekar VG, Somwanshi SD and Shruti S Kadam

Abstract:
Fungal blights are among the major concern for limiting the cultivation and production of many ornamental and flowering plants. Chrysanthemum is an important cut flower with great export potential. However, it is infected by many pathogens in the protected cultivation. Among these diseases, leaf blight caused by Alternaria alternata (Fries.) Keissler is one of the most destructive disease, commonly prevailing in almost all chrysanthemum growing areas and consequently causing accountable quantitative losses (> 80% yield losses) as well as deteriorating the quality of produce. In order to find out source of resistance in chrysanthemum for leaf blight 10 varieties / hybrids which were collected from nurseries in the Latur district and from the Department of Horticulture, P.D.K.V., Akola during 2019-20. Results revealed that, under pot culture condition all 10 chrysanthemum entries expressed a wide range of reactions against A. alternata. However, hybrid HyDC-16 and variety Beauty were susceptible, with mean blight intensity of 32.18 and 35.15 per cent, respectively. Red star was resistant (04.50%), Yellow, Salmone and Rivercity were moderately resistant (15.04, 17.20 and 19.40%, respectively) and White probiotic was highly susceptible (55.30%) to chrysanthemum blight. The highest average flower yield / plant was obtained in variety Red Star (84.90 g), followed by Beauty (83.64 g), Royal white (79.95 g), HyDC-16 (78.65 g), IAH- RED (76.13 g), Yellow (75.69 g), White probiotic (75.42 g), Chandani (71.22 g), Salmone (69.82 g) and Rivercity (67.62 g).