STUDIES ON THE VIRULENCE OF ROOT ROT PATHOGENS ON SESAME PLANTS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Plant Pathology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

2 Plant Pathology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

Fusarium solani, Rhizoctonia solani and Macrophomina phaseolina causing root rot disease complex of sesame plants increased both root rot incidence and respiration rate of sesame plants. Growth parameters, stem height, leaf area and dry weight, and transpiration rate of sesame plants were decreased as a result of the infection with root rot patho­gens. F.solani, R.solani and M.phaseolina had certain effects on root rot incidence, growth parameters, respiration rate and transpiration rate of sesame plants were more pronounced in the late stage of plant growth than those of early stage. Weight of 1000-seeds and total carbohydrate in sesame seed were not significantly affected by infection. The number of capsules/plant, total protein and oil contents of seeds were de­creased. Root rot pathogens varied in their effect, where M.phaseolina was the highest effective fungus on root rot incidence, growth parame­ters, respiration rate, transpiration rate, seed yield and chemical compo­nents of sesame plants.