Seed Health Management for Better Productivity - Govind Ballabh ...

(Seed Health Management for Better Productivity)conidia at an early stage. The disease can be managed by developing resistant varieties,fungicidal foliar sprays and use of sclerotia free seeds (through steeping or processing).Ergot DiseasesThe fungi causing ergot diseases belong to order Sphaeriales of class pyrenomycetes(Subdivision: Ascomycotina). The fungus has been named so because of formation of hard, darkcolored compact fungal structures called sclerotia or ergot on infected parts of plants. The ergotdiseases have been reported on many graminaceous plants viz. rye, oats, barley, wheat, pearlmillet sugarcane, however ergot of bajra is more common. The disease had occurred inepiphytotic form in 1956 at South Satara area of Maharashtra and since then, it has become amajor limiting factor in the cultivation of improved bajra hybrid varieties. Average incidence ofdisease has been observed up to 62.4% causing a grain loss of about 58% under favorableconditions. Presence of toxic alkaloids in the ergot adds to the importance of disease causingnuisance to both animals as well as human beings. Infection is evident from blossoming tomaturity. Initially disease manifests as a conidial honeydew stage on inflorescence with masses ofconidia exuded in sugary suspension. Later in the season, the infected kernels get transformed into black horny structures called ergots. Various management practices include destruction ofcollateral hosts (C. ciliaris and P. antidotales), early sowing of crop to escape high temperature atflowering, use of sclerotium free seed and spray of protective fungicides at flowering (Ziram Cuoxychloride).The tolerance levels for ergot of bajra are fixed at 0.02 and 0.04 % for foundation andcertified seed, respectively.- 127 -