Chitosan and yeast elicitor in suppressing seed-borne fungi of cucurbitaceous vegetables

Farzana Haque Tumpa,Kawsar Hossen,Md Atiqur Rahman Khokon,Md Zahangir Alam

doi:10.3329/jbau.v16i2.37959

Abstract

Experiments were conducted under laboratory condition to examine the efficacy of Chitosan and Yeast Elicitor to suppress the growth of seed-borne fungi of cucurbitaceous vegetables. Seeds of bottle gourd, sweet gourd, snake gourd, wax gourd and cucumber were collected from seed traders of Mymensingh districts and different seed borne fungi were isolated, purified and identified. Fourteen fungal species belonging to twelve genera consisting of Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium moniliforme, Fusarium oxysporum, Phoma exigua, Rhizopus stolonifer, Macrophomina phaseolina, Penicillium spp., Curvularia lunata, Chaetomium spp., Colletotrichum spp., Cercospora spp. and Alternaria alternata were isolated and identified. Four concentrations of Chitosan and Yeast Elicitors solutions (200, 500, 1000 & 2000 ppm) including one positive control Vitavax-200 WP (0.35%) were evaluated for controlling seed-borne fungi. Among the seed treating agents Chitosan (2000 ppm) and Yeast Elicitor (2000 ppm) showed better performance in suppressing the seed-borne fungi. Chitosan (2000 ppm) showed superior performance than Yeast Elicitor (2000 ppm). Results from the present study revealed that application of elicitors as seed treatment is a potential alternative of chemical fungicide for selective vegetables.J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 16(2): 187-192, August 2018

Highlights

Cucurbits are important vegetable crops, in Bangladesh, and in many other countries all over the world
In Bottle Gourd, eight fungi viz., Aspergillu flavus, Botrytis cinerea, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium moniliforme, Fusarium oxysporum, Phoma exigua, Rhizopus stolonifer and Macrophomina phaseolina were detected in T0 (Control), while the least seed-borne fungal infections were recorded in T4 (2000 ppm Chitosan), T7 (1000 ppm Yeast Elicitor) and T8 (2000 ppm Yeast Elicitor) followed by T3 (1000 ppm Chitosan) and T6 (500 ppm Yeast Elicitor)
In Sweet Gourd, ten fungi viz., Rhizopus stolonifer, Fusarium moniliforme, Aspergillus niger, Phoma exigua, Aspergillus flavus, Macrophomina phaseolina, Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, Penicillium spp. and Curvularia lunata were recorderd in T0 (Control), while the least seed-borne fungal infections were recorded in T4 (2000 ppm Chitosan) followed by T6 (500 ppm Yeast Elicitor), T7 (1000 ppm Yeast Elicitor) and T8 (2000 ppm Yeast Elicitor)

Summary

Introduction

Cucurbits are important vegetable crops, in Bangladesh, and in many other countries all over the world. Cucurbits belong to Cucurbitaceae family, which include bottle gourd (Lagenarea siceraria L), sweet gourd (Cucurbita moschata), snake gourd (Trichosanthes cucumeria), wax gourd (Benincasa hispida) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus) etc. Cucurbits are commonly exposed to attack by many serious soil-borne and seed-borne pathogens. Pathogen free healthy seeds are essential for desired plant populations and a good harvest. Of the 16% annual crop losses due to plant diseases, at least 10% loss occurs due to seed-borne diseases (Fakir, 1983). Important or devastating crop diseases are seed-borne and caused by fungi. Seed borne fungi are responsible for poor quality seeds in many crops (Neergaard, 1979)

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