STUDY ON HEALTH QUALITY OF JUTE SEEDS AND TRANSMISSION BEHAVIOR OF Colletotrichum corchori FROM SEED TO PLANT TO SEED

Abstract

Altogether 600 seed samples of jute of CVL-1 of four seed tires namely breeder seed (15), foundation seed (5), certified seed (7) and farmers‟ seeds (573) were tested in the laboratory of the Department of Plant Pathology, BJRI during October, 2010 to April, 2012. Seed samples were categorized on the basis of presence of Colletotrichum corchori as 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%. Germination of the collected seed samples found to be varied significantly. The highest germination (96.00%) was recorded in breeder seeds and the lowest (67.33%) was in farmers‟ seeds. In seedling symptom test, the highest (96.00%) and the lowest germination (73.00%) were recorded in case of seeds having 0.00% and 25% initial seed borne infection of C. corchori, respectively. Incidence of anthracnose increased with the increase of time. Seeds having higher level of seed infection with pathogens caused higher reduction of seed germination. Lower germination was recorded at higher prevalence of initial seed borne infection by C. corchori. Negative co-relationships between initial seed borne infection of C. corchori and seed yield parameters of harvested seeds were observed. Relationships between % seed germination and % total presence of pathogens in the seed was negative. Germination of the harvested seeds lowered with the increase of initial seed borne infections of C. corchori. Seed borne infection by C. corchori in harvested seeds increased with the increase of initial seed borne infection of C. corchori. Seed yield decreased with the increase of initial seed borne infection of C. corchori. Positive co-relationship between initial seed borne infection by C. corchori and seed borne infection in harvested seeds both at greenhouse and under field conditions proof the transmission of C. corchori from seed to plant to seed as a seed borne pathogen.