INOCULATION TECHNIQUES AND LIQUID MEDIA STUDIES ON SCLEROTINIA SCLEROTIORUM (LIB) DE BARY CAUSING SCLEROTINIA ROT OF INDIAN MUSTARD

Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.), Czern & Coss] is the second important oilseed crop of India. Sclerotinia rot caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, is a major disease of mustard. The present research work aimed to study the inoculation techniques, morphological and cultural characters of S. sclerotiorum. Isolations were made and culture was purified by adopting hyphal tip method from Sclerotinia rot infected plants. Small mycelia tufts and black semi spherical to round or irregular shape sclerotia observed in the culture growth and which measured 2-10 mm × 13-15 mm in size. Highest per cent disease incidence (82.00 %) was observed in seed + soil inoculation technique followed by soil inoculation (70.00%). Among liquid media tested, maximum dry mycelia weight 75.10 mg and excellent sclerotial formation was recorded on Potato Dextrose broth. It was followed by Richard’s medium resulted 68.60 mg dry mycelia weight and good sclerotia formation.