Molecular characterization and host range studies of indigenous fungus as prospective mycoherbicidal agent of water hyacinth

An indigenous fungal culture, isolated from diseased water hyacinth, in Bolpur, Santiniketan, West Bengal, India, was found to be causing severe blight and dieback disease on water hyacinth, under laboratory and field conditions. It was subjected to morphological and molecular characterization by amplification of 18S RNA gene fragment from genomic DNA using 18S gene universal primers. Subsequently with sequencing, GenBank database comparisons and phylogenetic analysis, the fungus was determined as Alternaria japonica Yoshii. Further the pathogen was evaluated for its host specificity to be developed as mycoherbicidal agent against this invasive weed. Host range of A. japonica was screened against 48 plant species in 42 genera representing 22 families in pot experiment.