Optimization of Inoculation Technique of Sporisorium scitamineum for the Induction of Smut Disease in Sugarcane Propagative Material
Optimization of Inoculation Technique of Sporisorium scitamineum for the Induction of Smut Disease in Sugarcane Propagative Material
Muhammad Aslam Rajput1,3, Imtiaz Ahmed Khan2, Rehana Naz Syed3 and Abdul Mubeen Lodhi3*
ABSTRACT
Whip smut of sugarcane is one of the most important and destructive diseases of sugarcane, occurred in almost all sugarcane producing regions of the world. Its incidence could effectively be minimized by planting smut resistant cultivars. For evaluating a large number of propagative materials; standardized germplasm screening protocols as well as optimized inoculation techniques are required. The pathogen inoculation method should be less cumbersome, simple, and rapid. Here, we compared the effectiveness of six different inoculation methods, i.e., dipping, paste, wound+paste, soil infestation, spraying and injection methods for the establishment of smut disease. It appears that disease expression was significantly influenced by pathogen inoculation method. The infection caused by S. scitamineum and subsequent whip smut development has also been greatly varied with the inoculation method. Injection method followed by wound+paste method and dipping method produced maximum disease incidence, highest number of whips, more tillering and less germination. While, other inoculation techniques, including soil infestation and spraying method caused least infection that results in a comparatively low level of disease development. Diseased plants produced profuse tillers, but of no use as emerging tillers were very weak. Significant positive correlations were found among the disease incidence and other traits as well as between numbers of whips and tillers.
To share on other social networks, click on any share button. What are these?
