Pathogenic Variability in Isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lentis

Pathogenicity of 102 isolates of Fusasrium oxysporum f. sp. lentis, causal agent of wilt disease of lentil, isolated from root samples collected from Banda, Hamirpur, Jalaun, Jhansi, Lalitpur and Mahoba districts in Bundelkhand area of U.P. was worked out. Data on per cent wilting induced in wilt susceptible genotype of lentil “Vidokhar local” by these isolates when subjected to cluster analysis using SPSS software revealed grouping of isolates into six clusters. Of 102 isolates 10 isolates were non pathogenic as they did not induce any mortality in the wilt susceptible. Group I had 27 isolates that induced highest wilting (65–80% mortality), whereas group IV and V had only 5 and 9 isolates with 18.33–30.00 and 33.33–38.33% wilting, respectively. Group II consisted of maximum number (32) of isolates that caused wilting in the range of 52.67–63.33%. Group III had 19 isolates that caused % wilting in the range of 41.67–48.33. Study reveals that there exists vast range of variability in pathogenic character of isolates of Fusasrium oxysporum f.sp. lentis.