Sensitivity of Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid. isolates of maize (Zea mays L.) to different temperature and pH levels
Waqas Ashraf1, ShahbazTalib Sahi2, Amer Habib2, Atta Ur Rehman Khan3, Muhammad Ahmad Zeshan*4, Anum Intisar4, Absar Ahmad5
1Department of Plant Pathology, University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
2Department of Plant Pathology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan
3Department of Plant Pathology, PMAS-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan
4Department of Plant Pathology, University College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan
5University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan
Abstract
Macrophomina phaseolina is the devastating fungus of many crops. For this study, infected maize samples were collected from four districts (Kasur, Okara, Sahiwal and Pakpatan). Twenty-four isolates of M. phaseolina were isolated from infected maize samples and their growth was evaluated at 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40°C as well as at 5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5 and 7.0 pH. The growth of fungal isolates was significantly affected by different levels of pH and temperature. Higher mean dry mycelial weight was observed at 35ºC followed by 40ºC. Higher mean dry mycelial weight at pH 6.5 and 7.0, clearly indicated the preference of isolates to particular range of pH. Mean dry mycelial weight was increased with increase in pH and temperature.
Keywords: Global warming, Mycelial weight, Macrophomina phaseolina, Temperature, pH