Isolation, Pathogenicity and Culture Media Study of Helminthosporium maydis Causing Maydis Leaf Blight Disease of Maize

Maydis leaf blight is most important and widespread maize leaf disease worldwide including India. Disease appears as young small and diamond shaped lesions. As they mature they elongate. The isolation was carried out from the infected leaves of maize plants (cv. GM4) collectedfromthe farmers fields of Anand districts and found the association of Helmintho sporium sp. was purified by single spore isolation technique and maintained the pure culture. The pathogenicity was confirmed by artificial injury inoculation method with 15 days old pure culture of H. maydis (10⁶ spores/ml) and proved Koch's Postulates. From the culture media, PDA supported maximum fungal growth diameter (35.25 mm) of H. maydis followed by Richard's agar (20.75 mm) with excellent and fair conidial formation, respectively.