Screening of Mustard Varieties and Temperature Effect on White Rust and Alternaria Blight

Mustard is one of the most important cruciferous crops which are grown basically for oil. The crop is infected by many diseases prominently fungal diseases which cause limitation in the productivity of the crop. White rust (Albugo candida) and Alternaria blight (Alternaria brassicae) are the most serious fungal diseases of mustard.

The study was conducted to find out the resistant response of mustard varieties against these fungal diseases. A field experiment was conducted to screen the response of mustard varieties in Rabi season of 2021-22 at Research Farm of Amar Singh (PG) College, Lakhaoti, Bulandshahr (UP), India. In India, yield losses from 23 to 54.5% due to white rust and 17-48% due to Alternaria blight has been reported.

Among the tested sixteen mustard varieties, four mustard varieties like PT-305, PM-44, Kanchan and MYSL-203 were shown resistant against white rust. Whereas, twelve tested mustard varieties like Jagannath, Radhika, Hybrid-805, Dev-142, Nandi bull, Araurali, 45L46 Lohiya, Kranti, Pusa Mahal, PusaVijya, PM-31 and Rh-149 were susceptible to white rust. Infection of Alternaria blight was observed in all tested mustard varieties. Postules of white rust on lower surface of leaves were starting appear after 5^th January (Temperature min. 7°C to max. 19°C). The highest incidence of white rust on leaves was observed from 16^th January to 08^th February (Temperature range min. 8-10°C and max. 20-22°C). Incidence of Alternaria blight was regularly increasing after 28^th January.