Abstract

EFFECT OF SEED MYCOFLORA ON SEED GERMINATION OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS

Rajendra Mehta*, Raj Kumar Singh Tiwari and Naureen Shaba Khan

ABSTRACT

Keeping in view the immense importance of seed the present investigation was carried out to detect the seed mycoflora of six medicinal plants viz. Abelmoscus moschatus, Bixa orellana, Cassia hirsuta, Clitoria ternatea, Crotolaria sericea and Dioscoria hispida and their effect on seed germination. Samples were collected from the medicinal plant nursery maintained at T.C.B. College of Agriculture and Research Station Bilaspur, three different categories of seeds Viz. one year old, two year old and fresh seeds were selected and assessed by employing Standard seed blotter technique, replicated four times. Plates were incubated at 22 ± 2ºC for 12 hr light/dark cycle. The observations were recorded after 5th day of incubation and continued up to 25th day. The data revealed that Seed borne fungi i.e Curvularia (7.66), Fusarium (5.22), Aspergillus (6.81) and Phoma (17.46) were predominantly associated with seeds of different medicinal plant species. However, species Fusarium (5.22) were associated with maximum per cent of seeds. Among medicinal plant species, Cassia hirsuta was having minimum seed infestation (5.0) while, seeds of Abelmoscus moschatus (54.83) and followed by Cliotoria ternatea (51.33) Bixa orellana (47.83), Crotolaria sericea (41.66) Dioscoria hispida (37.00) Seed germination was greatly influenced by seed age and varied between species. In some species i.e. Crotolaria sericea, Abelmoscus moschatus and Dioscoria hispida nearly similar seed germination pattern was seen following an ascending range 25.66, 23.33 and 21.50 respectively. Maximum germination of seed was observed in Clitoria ternatea (48.50) followed by Cassia hirsute (36.33). However, Bixa orellana(11.66) seed has shown the minimum/ least germination pattern among all the tested plant species. Seed treatment with Carbendazim + Mancozeb was found significantly effective in controlling seed mycoflora and increase in germination per cent.

Keywords: Medicinal plants, Mycoflora, Seed germination, fungicides