Morphological characterization and biochemical defense studies of Fusarium verticillioides (sheldon) causing post flowering stalk rot of specialty corn

Abstract

Four isolates of Fusarium verticillioides were collected from different parts of Rajasthan from rotted Specialty Corn stalks and identified by ITCC, IARI (New Delhi, India). The maximum size of macroconidia (40.24 X 6.67) in isolate Fv SC-02 and microconidia (12.43- 3.09 µm) was observed in isolate Fv SC-01 whereas minimum size of macroconidia (21.40- 4.10µm) and microconidia (5.65 - 4.05 µm) was observed in isolate Fv SC-09. On the basis of cultural and morphological characters of all the four isolates showed variability. In this study, basis of host defense response was analyzed after Fusarium verticillioides infection by biochemical. Peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase concentration was higher in infected plants when compared to uninfected samples. In defense related biochemical estimation it was recorded that the Peroxidase level increased maximum in QPM i.e. 0.099 units with 90 per cent and Polyphenol oxidases secretion was maximum in QPM with an increase of 0.351 units i.e. 87.31 per cent increase over control.