Influence of Cultural Media, Temperature, and pH on the Growth Characteristics of Alternaria brassicicola Isolated from Cauliflower
Kalpna
Department of Plant Pathology, Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, Bharsar, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand – 246123, India.
Vijay Kumar
*
Department of Plant Pathology, Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, Bharsar, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand – 246123, India.
Gurusimran Kaur
Department of Plant Pathology, Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, Bharsar, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand – 246123, India.
Anuj Prasad
Department of Plant Pathology, Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali Uttarakhand University of Horticulture and Forestry, Bharsar, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand – 246123, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The genus Alternaria is among the most predominant plant pathogens, recognised as a major constraint to crop productivity extending from 10–70% in India and a catastrophic cause of yield losses among brassicaceous crops. The experiment was conducted to assess the in-vitro effects of cultural and physiological variations on mycelial growth of Alternaria brassicicola (Schwein.) Wiltshire during 2023-2024. Cultural studies indicated that among the six different tested media, Potato dextrose agar supported the maximum mycelial growth (86.48 mm), whereas Czapek’s dextrose dox agar media supported the minimum growth (36.91 mm). For the maximum growth of the fungus, the best temperature observed was 25 °C (82.24 mm), while minimum growth was recorded at 35 °C (11.14 mm). Among the five different pH levels tested, the pathogen showed optimum mycelial growth at pH 5 (81.57 mm), while the least growth was recorded at pH 8 (41.45 mm).
Keywords: Alternaria brassicicola, black leaf spot, culture media, isolation, pH, temperature