Isolation and identification of seed borne mycoflora associated with popular rice cultivars in North East India

A total of 32 seed samples collected from 11 location i.e ., Chakdaha, Jaguli, Gayespur, Kalyani, Hooghly, Purba Medinipur, Rampurhat, Uttar Dinajpur from West Bengal, Umiam (Meghalaya), Sabroom (Tripura) and Anini (Arunachal Pradesh) were tested for association of seed borne mycoflora by using blotter method and Agar plate method. In detection of seedborne mycoflora through seed health study using blotter method, eight mycoflora were identified based on spore morphology namely, Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Curvularia lunata, fusarium sp., Bipolaris oryzae, Penicillium sp . and Trichoconis padwaki. Most frequently occurring fungi genera was Bipolaris  (25.76%), followed by Fusarium  (20.92%) and least in case of Pencillium  (3.33%). While in agar plate (PDA), maximum of 10 seed mycoflora like Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium sp., Bipolaris sp., Nigrospora sp., Pencillium sp. Trichoconis padwaki  and Trichoderma sp . were observed. Maximum percent occurrence was observed in genus Fusarium  (22.67%), Curvularia  (20.06%) and least in Nigrospora  (0.15%) and Trichoconis  (0.15%) respectively. Agar plate method showed maximum number of seed mycoflora than blotter method. However, it was observed that Bipolaris  was predominant in blotter method and Fusarium in agar plate method.