Evaluation of different dates of sowing on PDI of Sclerotinia stem rot of lentil

Abstract

Pulse crops play an important role in Indian agriculture and economy and they are the major source of protein and complementary to cereals both in production and consumption. The fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is one of the most destructive pathogens of lentils. Yield losses can be attributed to fungal growth within stems and resulting lodging, which leads to smaller and fewer seeds, premature ripening, shattered pods, loss of smaller, shrunken seeds during harvesting. The stem rot fungus overwinters as sclerotia in the soil, in stubble at the soil surface and mixed with seed. Sclerotia can remain viable in the field for five years or more. Each year some sclerotia will germinate when conditions are suitable but others will remain dormant. Germination is either myceliogenically which directly infect plants or may be carpogenic (spore-producing apothecia) heavy infections result from airborne spores produced by apothecia at the soil surface. The present investigation experiments were conducted to find out the effect of different dates of sowing on Sclerotinia stem rot incidence in lentil, starting form 05 October to 15 November at 10 days interval, irrespective of the year.