FIRST REPORT OF CURVULARIA LUNATA AND ALTERNARIA ALTERNATA CAUSING LEAF BLIGHTS ON TOMATOES IN SINDH, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The tomato is an economically important crop that grows worldwide. The numerous fungal pathogens attacking tomato crops and causing severe diseases lead to yield loss. A few studies conducted regarding the identification of tomato fungal pathogens in Pakistan. However, no report was found to identify the fungal pathogens of tomato crops grown in Sindh. This study aimed to isolate, identify and characterize the tomato fungal pathogens in District Kamber Shahdadkot. Subsequently, thirty diseased tomato plant samples (leaves & stems) were collected from distinct villages of Taluka Kamber District Kamber Shahdadkot. These samples were collected in polythene bags and marked with symbols like S1, S2 and so on (S=Sample). All samples were brought into Botany Department lab and CBC Shah Abdul Latif University Khairpur. PDA media was prepared, sterilized and poured into petri plates. Prior to the inoculation, pieces from samples were soaked in a 1% solution of sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) for a minute. The petri plates were inoculated separately and incubated at natural room temperature (260C to 280C) for arising and growth. Three days later, the inoculation site manifests signs and symptoms of fungal development.  Within a week fungus reached at preferable growth and spores were formed. Two slides from each petriplate were prepared i. e. one from the center of the cultures and other from the margins of the cultures. In order to finish this application, slide-sized scotch tape was cut up and immersed on the surface of cultures gently. The off cuts of the scotch tap introduced the fungal materials (mycelia and spores), which were pressed with love to the glass slides and observed. The fungi identification was made by using applications of morphological characteristics like morphology of the cultures, nature, and type of the mycelium, the shape of spores, and the color of the spores. Following these characters two fungal species were identified i. e. Curvularia lunata and Alternaria alternata