Isolation, purification, identification and pathogenicity of Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) goid caused dry root rot of chickpea

Abstract

Dry root rot of chickpea caused by Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid is one of the more severe yield destabilizing factors causing serious yield losses each year. In recent years, Macrophomina phaseolina is becoming more prevalent in agricultural areas where climate change is leading to higher temperatures. We conducted a experiment in which, a series of fungal isolation, purification, identification and pathogenicity from the infected plant parts. The plant show typical symptoms like Drooping of petioles and leaflets and in advance stage scattered sclerotial bodies. The infected isolates may be seen on the affected tissues after reinoculation and produced mycelia growth and sclerotia both plants and culture plates. On re-isolation it was found that the fungus was identical to the original isolate. It was observed that the infection was much higher in inoculated plants as compared to control.