Effect of Seed Borne and Soil Borne Inoculum on Wilt Disease of Brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) Caused by Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. melonganae (Schlecht) Mutuo and Ishigami

Wilt induced by Fusarium oxysporium f.sp. melongenae has been observed as an important disease on brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) around Jobner. The culture of F. oxysporium isolated from diseased rootsof naturally infected brinjal plants, proved pathogenic causing wilt of seedling and of fully growth plants of this crop. Symptoms started appearing after 20–30 days of inoculation. In the beginning fungus caused pre emergence mortality and post mortality yellowing of leaves and such leaves dried within a 25–30 days. Infected plants exhibited dark brown coloring of xylem tissue, stem base and root. Two method was used for comparative testing of pathogenicity i.e. soil borne and seed borne inoculum. The seed borne inoculum was found to use more disease incidence than soil borne inoculum.