HEALTH AND QUALITY OF FARMERS SAVED MUSTARD SEEDS AND MANAGEMENT OF SEED-BORNE PATHOGENS

Abstract

Mustard seeds were collected from farmers’ level in different locations of Bogra and Sirajgong districts to study the health status, quality, germination percentage and to investigate the effectiveness of using plant extracts and Provax 200wp as seed treatment. The experiment was conducted at Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University during the period of July 2010 to February 2011. The seed samples were tested following dry inspection and blotter method. Apparently healthy seeds were highest (75%) at BD- 7137 and lowest (50%) at variety Daulat. In blotter test among 11 mustard varieties the highest number of germination was recorded from the seeds of BD-7137 (87.33%) and the lowest was recorded from Daulat and BARI-8 varieties (50.67%) after 7 days of incubation. Different seed-borne fungi such as Alternaria spp., Aspergillus flavus, Rhizopus stolonifer, Fusarium oxysporum, Bipolaris spp. and Curvularia lunata were found associated with the mustard seeds. Percent germination and percent seed borne infection of fungal pathogens were different with treatment of different plant extracts and provax 200wp. Percent germination was observed highest in Provax 200 wp seed treatment (80%). Garlic plant extract was found most effective among three treatments for increasing the germination percentage as well as for controlling the associated fungal pathogens in mustard seeds. Prevalence of different fungi varied from variety to variety. Minimum infection was found when seeds were treated with garlic clove extract in variety BD-7137 of mustard.