​Isolation and Identification of Different Fungal Species from Major Kharif Vegetables of Sindh Province, Pakistan

Background: Altenaria species are posing major threat to vegetable crops nowadays, thus it is of utmost importance to identify its different species, so that potential control measures may be explored. Methods: The isolation and identification of different fungi was conducted from major Kharif vegetables, tomato, chilli and eggplant. Samples showing typical symptoms of fruit rot and leaf spot were collected from fields and then pathogens were isolated and identified at laboratory using standard procedures. Result: The total of 07 fungal species, Alternaria alternata, A. solani, Aspergillus flavus, A. niger, Fusarium oxysporum, Pencillium sp. and Rhizopus stolonifer isolated from tomato fruit rot. Similarly, 07 fungi viz; A. alternata, A. tenuissima, A. flavus, A. niger, Colletotrichum capisi, Penicillium sp. and R. stolonifer from chilli fruit rot and 06 fungi viz; A. alternata, A. flavus, A. niger, F. solani, Penicillium sp. and R. stolonifer from eggplant leaf spots were isolated. Significantly highest infection frequency was recorded for A. solani (48.83%) and A. tenuissima (44%) from tomato and chilli fruit rot, respectively. From eggplant leaf spot it was significantly highest for A. alternata (34.5%). Study concludes that 03 species, A. solani, A. tenuissima and A. alternata, dominantly damaged tomato, chilli fruits and eggplant leaves.

Short Communication: Histopathology of red chilli fruit (Capsicum annuum) infected with Colletotrichum acutatum of Java, Indonesia isolates

Muljowati JS, Soesanto L, Nugroho LH. 2021. Short Communication: Histopathology of red chilli fruit (Capsicum annuum) infected with Colletotrichum acutatum of Java, Indonesia isolates. Biodiversitas 22: 874-880. Colletotrichum acutatum isolates from Malang, Temanggung, Kulonprogo, Brebes, Garut, and Pandeglang in Indonesia varied in their ability to produce pigments. In the present study, the histopathological status of red chilli was investigated during the early phase of infection by C. acutatum Java isolate. The results included a description of the histopathological features of red chillies (Capsicum annuum) in the early phase of infection by C. acutatum isolates and the relationship between the origin of the isolates and the time of onset of infection. The red chilli fruits were inoculated with fungal conidia suspension and then the histopathology of chilli fruits was observed at 0 hours (uninfected control), 8 hours, 16 hours, 24 hours, and 32 hours after inoculation. The results showed that C. acutatum isolates from Kulonprogo caused host damage within 8 hours, while the other isolates (from Malang, Brebes, Garut and Pandeglang) began to produce similar symptoms at 16 hours or 24 hours. This study revealed for the first time that pathogenic activity begins at the onset of infection, and the resulting anatomical damage to red chillies begins at different times.

EFFICACY OF Ageratum LEAF EXTRACT ON POSTHARVEST ROT CAUSED BY Aspergillus niger AND Colletotrichum sp. ON CHILLI FRUITS

The damage of chilli, an important spice fruit, comes from fungal diseases caused mainly by Aspergillus niger and Colletotrichum sp. The fungi on chilli fruits would directly harm consumers’ health. Plant extracts containing bio-active compounds with antimicrobial properties could be a good possible solution to deal with the fungi. This study aims to evaluate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy of aqueous extracts from the leaves of Ageratum plants against A. niger and Colletotrichum sp. The results show that the optimal efficacy of the treatment of Ageratum leaf extract is at a concentration of 6%, with the efficacy of Ageratum leaf extract on colonial diameter at approximately 43–44% for the two fungi at 96 hours after inoculation. The 6% Ageratum leaf extract has a high efficacy (~54.23%) on limiting the development of Aspergillus rot lesions on chilli fruits 4 days after inoculation. Meanwhile, the efficacy of the extract on Colletotrichum lesions is 11.34%, lower than that of Aspergillus rot.Keywords: Ageratum leaf extract, chilli fruit, rot lesion

Increasing Production of Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) through Foliar Fertilizer Application

Chili is one of the most important spices in Indonesia; the demand for chili is increasing along with the growth of the population. Chilli is generally grown under intensive culture which includes addition of fertilizers to improve crop growth and increase crop productivity. A study was conducted to examine seven different rates of an inorganic foliar fertilizer HF at 0.5, 0.75, 1, 1.25 and 1.5 of the recommended rate, with no foliar fertilizer and a standard foliar fertilizer GD as control. The results showed that spraying foliar fertilizer HF generally improved the growth and yield of chilli compared to without fertilizer. Plant height, number of branches and number of fruits per plant, weight per fruit, weight per 10 fruits, yield per plant, yield per plot, and yield per ha of chilli treated with inorganic fertilizers was significantly higher than the without foliar fertilizer. Foliar fertilizer HF at 0.5 of the recommendation rate, or 1 kg.ha-1 foliar fertilizer applied at 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 week after planting in addition to the basic fertilizers of 400 kg.ha-1 of urea, 200 kg.ha-1 of SP-36, 250 kg.ha-1 of KCl applied to the soil, was effective to obtain the maximum chilli fruit yield.

KESINTASAN BEBERAPA JAMUR ANTAGONIS PADA BUAH CABAI DAN POTENSINYA DALAM MENEKAN PENYAKIT ANTRAKNOSA YANG DISEBABKAN OLEH COLLETOTRICHUM GLOEOSPORIOIDES

Persistence of several antagonistic fungus on chilli and its potential to suppress anthracnose disease caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Anthracnose disease caused by C. gloeosporioides is one of the important diseases on chilli because its directly gives negative impact on chilli production. The aim of this research was to obtain the superior antagonistic fungi that have ability to persist on chili fruit and potential to control anthracnose disease caused by C. gloeosporioides The experiment consist of two units: 1. Testing of persistence ability of antagonistic fungi on chilli fruit, 2. Testing the potential of antagonistic fungi to suppress anthracnose disease on chilli fruit. Both of the test used Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 10 treatments and 4 replication, each of replication consist of 4 chilies fruit. Those treatments were Trichoderma-PP1, Trichoderma-PP3, Trichoderma-AG2, Trichoderma-PYK3, Paecilomyces-PP6, Paecilomyces-PP7, Paecilomyces-AG4, Paecilomyces-PYK4, Aspergillus PP2 and without antagonistic fungi (control). The result indicated that all antagonistic fungi isolate could persist on chili fruit. The highest persistence were Trichoderma-PP3 and TrichodermaAG2 (95.83%) and the lowest belonged to Paecilomyces-PP7 (50%). Trichoderma-PP3 and Trichoderma-AG2 were the best isolates for suppressing anthracnose disease caused by C. gloeosporioides.