Survival of Alternaria alternata (Fr.) Keissler causing blight of sasame

The survival of A. alternata was studied in infected plant debris (leaves, stems and capsules) including seed, under field (on soil surface and buried at 7.5 cm depth of soil) and laboratory conditions. The fungus survived better under both the conditions. Survivability was greater in debris containing stems (33.70%) and capsules (25.63%) than leaves (21.88%). There was sharp decline in survivability of pathogen with rise in temperature during summer but viability of pathogen was not completely lost till next season of the crop. There was a gradual decrease in survival of pathogen over a period of time and it dropped to zero after 17^th month of storage.