Establishment of seed borne nature of Alternaria alternata causing alternaria leaf spot and fruit rot of chilli

Study on seed-borne nature of Alternaria alternata in chilli seeds indicated that in Standard blotter method, the incidence of A. alternata was 5.7 to 15.3% (average, 9.5%) and 16.5 to 28.4% (average, 21.7%) with unsterilzied seeds collected from general fields and diseased fields, respectively. The incidence for surface sterilized seeds from general and diseased fields were 2.6 to 7.2% (average, 4.9%) and 7.8 to 13.0% (average, 9.6%), respectively. In Agar plate method with Potato dextrose agar medium, the incidence of Alternaria alternata was 4.0 to 10.5% (average, 7.4%) and 11.0 to 24.0% (average, 18%) with surface sterilized.