Hosts of Bipolaris sorokiniana, the major pathogen of spot blotch of wheat in Pakistan.

Bipolaris sorokiniana (Sacc.) Shoemaker (teleomorph Cochliobolus sativus) is the causal agent of common root rot, leaf spot and seedling blight, head blight of wheat and barley and black point of grains. It causes significant yield losses in South Asian countries and considered as a serious foliar disease constraints in warmer growing areas. Numerous plant species other than wheat and barley are identified as the host of B. sorokiniana world wide. Fifteen crops including Arachis hypogea, Avena sativa, Brassica compestris, Cicer arientenum, Glycine max, Halianthus annus,Hordeum vulgare, Lens culinaris,Oryza sativa, Pennisetum amaricanum,Sesamum indicum, Sorghum bicolor, Vigna mungo, Vigna radiata, and Zea mays which are grown in different agro-ecological zones of wheat production were tested against local isolate of B. sorokiniana by In vitro technique. Eleven crops viz., Avena sativa, Hordeum vulgare, Brassica compestris, Glycine max, Lens culinaris, Vigna radiata, Sesamum indicum, Vigna mungo, Sorghum bicolor, Zea mays and Pennisetum amaricanum are found to be the hosts of B. sorokiniana.