International Journal of Weed Science and Technology ISSN 4825-3499 Vol. 1 (3), pp. 012-015, March, 2017. © Advanced Scholars Journals

Short Communication

Pathogenic variability of S. rolfsii isolates associated with Parthenium

Satyendra Ramanujan Shankar

Mycological Research Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, R. D University, Jabalpur-482001, (M.P), India.

*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]

Accepted 15 February, 2017

Abstract 

Parthenium hysterophorus L. is a wide-spread weed creating problems for agriculture and public health. Microbes and their by products is now proved to be a worthy alternative to toxic chemicals used for weed management. We determined the relative pathogenicity of ten Sclerotium rolfsii isolates recovered from diseased parts of Parthenium collected during a survey of various habitats in Central India. There was a considerable diversity amongst various isolates. The isolate designated Par # 02 from Jabalpur showed the maximum disease incidence (80%) whereas isolate Par#10 also from Jabalpur showed the lowest infection rate against targeted hosts (30%). The wide range of pathogenicity among S. rolfsii support the view that strain breeding for biological control of P. hysterophorus L. is warranted.

Key words: Parthenium hysterophorus, variability, pathogenicity, Sclerotium rolfsii