Journal of Environmental Biology

Comparison of pathogenicity of Alternaria pellucida and

Curvularia lunata on weed Echinochloa species

Mohammad Reza Safari Motlagh*

Department of Plant Pathology, Faculty of Agriculture, Rasht Branch, Islamic Azad University, Rasht, 413353516, Iran

*Corresponding Author?s E-mail: ssafarimotlagh@yahoo.com

Publication Data

Paper received:

01 February 2014

Revised received:

08 September 2014

Accepted:

18 October 2014

Abstract

Echinochloa spp. are the most important weeds in rice fields. In this research Curvularia lunata and Alternaria pellucida were isolated from these weeds and their pathogenicity effects were compared on these weeds and five rice cultivars in a completely random design with three replications in greenhouse conditions. Fungi were inoculated on weeds and rice cultivars, using spore suspension consisting of 106 spore ml^-1 of distilled water. Results indicated significant effect of Curvularia lunata and Alternaria pellucida on Echinochloa oryzicola and E. crus-galli. In the present study, effect of C. lunata on fresh weight, dry weight and height of Echinochloa species based on variance analysis table, a significant reaction was observed for height and fresh weight, but for dry weight reaction was not significant. The effect of A. pellucida on fresh weight, dry weight and height of Echinochloa species based on variance analysis table, a significant reaction was observed for all the three traits. Also, rice cultivars did not show any significant reaction to C. lunata and A. pellucida. The results showed that in comparison between effect of Curvularia lunata and Alternaria pellucida on Echinochloa spp., disease rating caused by A. pellucida on E. oryzicola and E. crus-galli was more than disease rating caused by C. lunata and these species of weed were more susceptible to A. pellucida. However, A. alternata can be considered as a better promising bioherbicide to control Echinochloa spp.     

 Key words

Alternaria pellucida, Curvularia lunata, Echinochlooa spp., Pathogenicity 

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