Status of black point disease of wheat in Punjab

Black point has been a regular problem in wheat from Rabi seasons of 2007–08 to 2010–11 in the Punjab state. On an average basis, 79.63% of total samples were found to be infected with an infection per cent of 0.43% by black point in the state during this period. The incidence of black point was recorded to be highest during Rabi 2010–11 (mean infection=0.78%) with highest number of infected samples (93.24%). Over the four years, Fatehgarh Sahib, hoshiarpur, Moga and Sangrur districts recorded high infection/incidence of black point whereas, it was low in Gurdaspur, bhatinda, Muktsar, Mansa, Jalandhar and Shahid bhagat Singh Nagar. In amritsar, barnala, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Ferozepur, ludhiana, Patiala, ropar, Sahibzada ajit Singh Nagar and taran taran districts, it was in moderate proportions. Maximum black point infection (0.80%) and maximum number of infected samples (86.9%) were observed in Fatehgarh Sahib district and minimum (0.18% and 63.00%, respectively) in Gurdaspur district on an average basis of the four seasons. Six fungi including four field fungi viz. Alternaria alternata, Drechslera sorokiniana, Fusarium moniliforme and Curvularia lunata and two storage fungi viz. Aspergillus and Pencillium species were found to be associated with black point infected kernels. A. alternata was the most predominant fungus associated with the typical black point symptoms and F. moniliforme and D. sorokiniana were recorded with lesser incidence. in case of smudge type symptoms, the incidence of A. alternata decreased compared to the typical black point symptoms, but incidence of F. moniliforme and D. sorokiniana comparatively increased. Fungi F. moniliforme and Aspergillus species were chiefly associated with shriveled seeds with black discolouration.