Causes for seed borne infection in finger millet [elusine coracana (l.) gaertn.] and its management under field conditions

Finger Millet [Elusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.] is generally affected by several seed-borne fungi and causing severe losses both in fields as well as in storage conditions. The fungi associated with seeds at the stage of harvest, transport, processing and under storage bring about several undesirable changes, making them unfit for human consumption and sowing. The total loss of millet grain after harvest is estimated to be as much as 15 per cent in many countries and much higher in developing countries. Studies pertaining to seed borne mycoflora of finger millet are flatter limited. Therefore, in the view of the above facts, the present study is undertaken to find out the mycoflora associated with the seeds of finger millet and its effect on seed and to determine the efficacy of bio-control agents and chemicals for managing seed borne mycoflora under field condition. A total of 27 seed samples were collected in different places of North-eastern districts of Tamil Nadu for the assessment of seed borne infection in finger millet. The mycoflora viz., Alternaria spp., Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Curvularia spp., Fusarium spp., Helminthosporium spp. and Pyricularia grisea were identified as casual organisms in seeds of finger millet. Among them, Pyricularia grisea causes blast disease in finger millet under field condition and Curvularia spp., Fusarium spp., and Helminthosporium spp. cause grain mold/seed blackening disease incidence. Based on the results of causal organisms of seed borne infection the field experiments were conducted at Centre of Excellence in Millets, Athiyandal during kharif, 2016 and kharif, 2017. Seed treatment with pre-mixture of fungicides (Mancozeb 63% + Carbendazim 12%) @ 3g/kg of seed with one spray of pre-mixture of fungicides (Mancozeb 63% + Carbendazim 12%) @ 0.2% at the time of blast incidence recorded less incidence of neck blast, finger blast and seed blackening/grain mold and higher grain yield of 2700 kg/ha and 2492 kg/ha were recorded during kharif, 2016 and kharif, 2017 respectively on both trials.