Identification of Seed Borne Mycoflora of Economically Important Vegetables of District Abbottabad and their Effect on Seed Germination and Seedling Vigor

Urooj Nawaz, Azam Hayat, Zi

Abstract

Seed samples of three economically important vegetables viz Tomato, Pea and Chilli were collected from local seed shops of Nawasher, Abbottabad city, Nathiagali and Qalandarabad locations of District Abbottabad. Seed borne infection, percent germination and vigor index of seeds were tested and twelve fungi were isolated and identified as Alternaria alternata, Alternaria solani, Aspergillus niger, A. flavus, A. fumigatus, A. terrus, Cladosporium spp., Curvularia spp, Clletotrichum capsici, Fusarium oxysporum, Penecillium spp and Rhizopus spp. The total percentage fungal incidence in tomato was 25-42%, in pea (13-33%) and in chilli (5-32%). The highest % seed germination was recorded in Qalandarabad (70%) and lowest in Abbottabad city (43%) in tomato seeds, similarly vigor index ranged from 107.61115.1 in tomato seeds. In case of pea seeds maximum % germination was found in samples of Nawasher (72%) and minimum in Qalandarabad location (20%) and vigor index was highest in Abbototabad city (572.8) and lowest in Qalandarabad (147). In chilli seeds % germination range from 10-45% and vigor index was highest in Qalandarabad (289.1) and lowest in Nawasher (14.1) seed samples