Viability of coriander (Coriandrum sativum) seeds from Protomyces macrosporus infected plants to spread of stem gall of coriander

Protomyces macrosporus Unger, the incitant of stem gall of coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) occur abundantly in northern part of India, pathogen remains restricted to the gall only. The resting spores of the pathogens develop internally in the mesophyll obscuring the host tissues. After the infection in the host plant, pathogen becomes systemic resulting in hypertrophy of infected portion. The role of fruit infection in seed viability and transmission of the fungus is inadequately known. Therefore, an assessment was made to know the spreads of pathogen and effect on viability of seeds, collected from different degree of infected plants part. The experiment was carried out during 2014–2015 in green house and laboratory conditions at Faizabad (Uttar Pradesh). The seeds sample were collected from uninfected stem, infected stem, infected stem + leaves, goose-neck infected plants and galled seed plants. The results of experiments showed that the seeds from healthy plants germinated upto 94.8%, followed by 80% in stem and goosed-neck infected plants, 70% in stem + leaves + neck infected plants, 60% in partially hypertrophied seed and 20% in galled seeds. The infection was found highest (85–90%) in hypertrophied seeds and partially hypertrophied seeds. The lowest seedling infection was observed in apparently healthy seeds (5–10%) in comparison to stem infected plant seeds (30–40%) and mixed infected plant seeds (40–49%).