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

Abstract

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.