Summary
Of the four isolates ofF. udum tried against six varieties of pigeon pea for pathogenicity, isolate IV was found to be most virulent and varieties N.P. 24, N.P. 82 and N.P. 15 to be the most, moderately and least susceptible varieties respectively. The earliest symptom in pigeon pea wilt was seen on the 10th day when epinasty of the primary leaves appears. This was followed by other symptoms such as inter-veinal chlorosis, yellowing, loss of turgor, shrivelling up of leaves, culminating in wilting of the whole plant by the 30th day. Inoculated plants showed considerable stunting, reduced leaf growth and poor nodulation. The probable role of volatile substances like ethylene in the wilt syndrome and the possibility of this vascular wilt interfering with the trace element nutrition of the host are discussed.
Study of the spread of the pathogen in the tissues of different varieties indicated that while the fungus colonized the entire length of the main axis of the variety N.P. 24, it failed to spread beyond the root region in N.P. 15. Although the spores ofF. udum enter into the aerial portion of N.P. 15 when introduced into the transpiration stream, they failed to survive. The role of inhibitory substance(s) in the tracheal fluid of N.P. 15 is discussed.
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Communicated by Professor T. S. Sadasivan,f.a.sc.
Formed part of the author’s doctoral thesis, University of Madras.
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Subramanian, S. Fusarium wilt of pigeon pea. Proc. Indian Acad. Sci. 57, 134–148 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03052013
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03052013