Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

ASSESSMENT OF SEED QUALITY PARAMETERS IN STEMPHYLIUM BLIGHT INFECTED SEEDS CAUSED BY STEMPHYLIUM VESICARIUM IN ONION

Niranjan Prasad H.P., Atul Kumar, Vijay Dunna, J.K. Ranjan, Jameel Akhtar and Gyan P. Mishra

Abstract

Stemphylium vesicariumis an important seed-borne and foliar pathogen and it is highly detrimental to onion crop. Among ten genotypes studied for the effect of Stemphylium blight on the seed quality parameters using infected and healthy seeds, the germination percentage of infected seeds is relatively lower than healthy seeds. The reduction in germination percentage of diseased seeds varied between 14 to 67%. Seed quality parameters like germination and vigour were negatively correlated and the electrical conductivity was positively correlated with Stemphylium blight incidence. This shows that a higher incidence of pathogens will lower the viability and vigour of seeds and the infection level is also dependent on genotype and the environmental condition. The seed-borne fungi were found responsible for poor vigour and low seedling emergence in the nursery. The seedling emergence in the seed sample might be low due to the proliferation of pathogenic fungal species on germinating seedlings and resulting in seed and seedling death.