Bio-deterioration of important cucurbitaceous seeds due to mycoflora

Abstract

The study "Bio-deterioration of important cucurbitaceous seeds due to mycoflora" was conducted at College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara. The objectives of this study were to find out the role of seed borne mycoflora on the bio-deterioration of important cucurbitaceous seeds, the variation in the seed mycoflora in different periods of the year, to assess the role of different humidity levels on the viability of seeds and to evolve a suitable management practice to prevent the bio-deterioration of seeds. The study revealed that the unsterilised seeds were found associated with mycoflora throughout the period of investigation . Mycoflora associated with surface sterilised seeds was less than that of unsterilised seeds. The maximum fungal association was found on the seed coat, then in the endosperm and least in the embryo in all the three vegetable seeds. Twentyseven species of fungi were found associated with bitter gourd seeds . Ten of them were external contaminants. Twentyfive species of fungi were obtained from the cucumber seed of which 11 species were found to be externally seed borne fungi were Aspergillus sp., Pencillium sp. and Rhizopus sp. while among the internally seed borne fungi the predominant ones were Fusarium solani, Aspergillus flavus and Rhizopus stolonifer.