Morphological & Physiological studies on Helminthosporium halodes Drechs. The 'Leaf Rot' fungus of coconut

Abstract

The strain of Helminthosporium halodes occuring in Kerala and causing leaf rot disease of the coconut palm was found to differ in certain respects from the type species and also from its known varieties. The dimmensions of the spores of this were far superior to that of others which were reported as H.halodes or as its varieties. The difference were very prominent in culture. Formation of secondary spores on definite secondary sporophores, proliferated from the primary spores occurs only in the coconut strain not in the type species or its varieties . The fungus is therefore considered as a new variety of H.halodes var nucifera var. nov.