Toxic Effects Of Seed-Borne Fungi On Seed Health Of Chickpea

Abstract

Green gram, Black gram, Pigeon pea and chickpea are common pulses in diet rich in carbohydrates, proteins and minerals. Numerous fungi affect pulses adversely causing reduction in seed content and seed health. During present study, effects of metabolites of common and dominant seed-borne fungi on seed health of Chickpea are evaluated. Total seventeen fungi recorded from all test pulses. Out of these seventeen seed-borne fungi, six, Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger, Drechslera tetramera and Rhizopus stolonifer, found to be common and dominant on all four test pulses. These common and dominant seed-borne fungi produced mycotoxins that affected adversely to the seed germination, shoot and root length of test pulse Chickpea in variable quantity.