Evaluation of Sunflower Hybrids and Lines Against Alternaria Leaf Spot and Rust Diseases

摘要

Sunflower (H. annuus L.) is susceptible to several fungal diseases (Kolte, 1985). Sunflower diseases continue to limit its production in a majority of sunflower growing regions of the world. Commercial hybrids of sunflower lack genes for acceptable level of resistance to a number of fungal diseases. Among diseases Alternaria leaf spot caused by Alternaria helianthi and rust caused by Puccinia helianthi are world wide in their distribution. Twenty-five new experimental hybrids developed were sown during kharif '2000 at Elite Sunflower Seed Production Scheme, GKVK, Bangalore along with 25 parental lines and two infector genotypes (Table I). The hybrids and parental lines were planted in a single row of three-metre length with a spacing of 60 x 30 cm with three replications. Along all the borders the susceptible checks morden and L101 were grown to produce enough inoculum for the incidence and spread of Alternaria leaf spot and rust disease, respectively.