DISTRIBUTION OF BLACK CHAFF DISEASE OF WHEAT CAUSED BY XANTHOMONAS CAMPESTRIS PV. TRANSLUCENS IN DIFFERENT ECOLOGICAL ZONES OF PUNJAB AND ITS MANAGEMENT
Dr. Iftikhar Waris, Dr Abdul Rashid, Muhammad Shahjahan (Plant Pathology), Dr Ejaz Pervaiz and Dr. Khalid Miraj
ABSTRACT:
Wheat is a commonly cultivated as staple food crop in Pakistan. It is heavily attacked by a number of diseases like rusts, smuts, bunts and black chaff, a bacterial diseased caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. translucens due to the prevalence of diverse environmental conditions in different ecological zones of Punjab. Maximum disease was recorded in semi-arid and central districts of Punjab as up to 25%, 23% and 18% in Layyah, Bhakkar and Okara respectively. Disease was recorded minimum in arid areas like Attock and Okara as 8% and 6%. four plant extracts, bulb of Allium sativum, Allium cepa, chilies (Capsicum annum L.), Terminalia chebula and bio-product Biosal and Vampire were tested for their efficacy in vitro against Xanthomonas campestris pv. translucens. Biosal and Vampire showed efficient results to reduce the pathogen growth on Nutrient Glucose Agar (NGA) medium.