Vol. 11, Special Issue 6 (2022)

Author(s):
N Indra, C Ushamalini, K Kavitha and K Chitra

Abstract:
Seed health testing to detect seed borne pathogens is important for diagnosis and proper management of crop diseases. A survey has been conducted in major paddy growing areas of Tamil Nadu during 2015-2018 and a total of 28 popularly grown paddy varieties including two traditional varieties were collected from farmers’ holdings, Research stations and KVKs. The moisture per cent ranged from 10.4 to 13.4 and the germination per cent ranged from 32 (TRY 3) to 94 (CO 51). A total of seven pathogens viz., Drechslera oryzae, Fusarium moniliforme, Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, Curvularia sp., Penicillium sp., and Alternaria padwickii were detected by blotter method. Among these pathogens, the most predominant was D. oryzae which is associated with 86 % of the collected seed samples followed by Fusarium moniliforme (57%) and Aspergillus flavus (46%). The abnormal seedlings and ungerminated seeds in rolled paper towel method were mostly associated with D. oryzae, F. moniliforme and A. flavus.