Management of Cyperus difformis by using fungal pathogens as Mycoherbicide

Authors

Sivashankar M, Research scholar, Krishnan R, Professor and Head (NOFRC), Somasundaram E, Director (ABD), Kannan R, Sivakumar U, Professor (pathology)
TNAU, Coimbatore, INDIA.

Silambarasan M, Assistant Professor (Agronomy)
Karunya University, Coimbatore, INDIA.

Abstract

The unwanted weed variable flat sedge (Cyperus difformis L.), which has become widely naturalized in tropical and subtropical areas of the world and its economically harmful to the field crops all around the world. However, this weed has been linked to yield losses of 20–40%.By using fungal pathogen as mycoherbicides is one of the eco –friendly approach to mitigate this problematic weed. In this study, the myco-herbicides were isolated from the Cyprus spp. infected parts under invitro condition. The preliminary identification of the pathogen was done through microscopic observation by using phase contrast microscopy under 40X magnification. The isolates were further confirmed through PCR analysis which yielded an amplicon size of 350- 400 bp and sequencing of amplified product confirmed the pathogen as Epicoccum sorghinum and Rhizoctonia bicornis. Among the two fungal pathogens Rhizoctonia bicornis (undiluted culture) recorded higher Percentage Disease Index (32.36) than the Epicoccum sorghinum (undiluted culture)