Evaluation of different inoculation methods for the induction of spot blotch caused by Helminthosporium sativum in wheat

Issue Date

12-2014

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of different inoculation methods of Helminthosporium sativum in wheat. H. sativum is a seed-borne and soil-borne pathogen and is well known for spot blotch. In this study, four different surface and systemic inoculation methods were used to see their effects on growth and biochemical changes in wheat. Results demonstrated that the surface infection (foliar inoculation) is not a very useful method for the induction of disease. Seedling physiology and biochemical analyses proved systemic infection (root inoculation) to be a very expedient way for efficient inoculation of H. sativum. Root inoculation showed significant decrease in relative leaf water content, whereas root length and root to shoot ratio were also reduced significantly. Foliar inoculations has shown significant decrease in chlorophyll and sugar content of leaves while other methods have shown increase in both parameters. Protein contents were significantly decreased in soil inoculation at seedling stage treatment while other treatments have shown non-significant changes. All the inoculation treatments have shown decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. SOD activity decreased significantly in soil inoculation before sowing treatment while other inoculation methods showed non-significant differences. These results demonstrated that root to shoot ratio, relative water content and total protein contents estimation are the best parameter to judge the effect of H. sativum in wheat. Moreover, these results confirmed that the biochemical changes and the antioxidant defense activity depend on plant genotype and the mode of pathogen attack.

Source or Periodical Title

Philippine Journal of Crop Science

ISSN

0115-463x

Volume

39

Issue

3

Page

27-33

Document Type

Article

Frequency

tri-quarterly

Physical Description

tables, graphs, pictures

Language

English

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