Seedborne Fungi Intercepted During Quarantine Processing of Exotic Crop Germplasm in 2005 - ‘06

During 2005 - ‘06, a total of 18, 572 germplasm samples of different agri - horticultural crops was imported from different countries. Routine and sensitive detection methods were employed to detect exotic seedborne fungi and release pest-free germplasm to the indentors. Seventeen genera with 29 species of seed-borne fungi were intercepted, out of which 15 species were plant pathogenic. Drechslera maydis on maize from Philippines and Thailand, Ascochyta rabiei on chickpea from USA, Botrytis cinerea on wild safflower from Germany, Colletotrichum graminicola on sorghum from Niger, Mycosphaerella pinodes on chickpea from USA and Rhizoctonia bataticola on groundnut from Japan were important interceptions. D. maydis is the only intercepted pathogen listed in Plant Quarantine Order, 2003. Significance of the other interceptions is discussed.