Occurrence of Alternaria alternata causing leaf spot in Buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) in Prayagraj area of Uttar Pradesh, India
Abstract
Among the pseudo-cereals grown in India, Fagopyrum esculentum Moench is known as Common buckwheat and the most cultivated species in the hilly region of India. This is a short duration, multipurpose and nutritious crop which can withstand changing climatic conditions and fit well in multiple cropping systems. At remote locations of mountain ecosystems, buckwheat is a livelihood driven crop for small and marginal farmers. Buckwheat grains are primarily used for human consumption and also for livestock, poultry and piggery feeds. Rural population of hilly region of India use buckwheat sprouts and as pancakes especially in breakfast however, the recommended intake of buckwheat sprouts are less than 40 g/day. Furthermore, it is also grown as cover crop, green manure crop, fodder crop, fertility restoring crop, honey crop and medicinal plant. The crop is also a good source of Rutin (quercetin-3-rutinosid) and Fagopyrin that are known to be used in preventing various human disorders. In January 2020 occurrence of disease on buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) in the research field of SHUATS, Prayagraj Uttar Pradesh in India was observed. Black spot symptoms were noted on leaves with an approximate incidence of 50%. The disease symptoms are chlorotic leaf spots caused by Alternaria alternata uniformly distributed and having concentric margins. They are circular, oval or oblong in shape. Each spot has gray centre and brownish margin.
Keywords
Download Options
Introduction
Buckwheat perform multitude functions as a break crop (breaks the life cycle of insect, pests and diseases), green manure crop, smother crop (suppress weeds), nutrient conserving crop (enhanced nutrients uptake, reduces nutrients leaching and immobilization), gourd crop (protecting main crop from wild animal), cover crops (soil protection against water and wind erosions) and as land reclamation crop. Buckwheat is an ephemeral green manure crop which germinates in 3–5 days, flowers within 30–45 days and matures completely within 90–110 days. (Babu et al., 2018; Ezra et al., 2010). The occurrence of buckwheat ranged from Jammu Kashmir in north to Arunachal Pradesh in east and Tamil Nadu in the south. However, Jammu Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal (Kalimpong, Coochbehar, New Jalpaiguri and Darjeeling region), Sikkim, Assam (Upper Assam), Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Meghalaya (Higher elevation region), Manipur, Kerala Tamil Nadu (Nilgiris and Palani hills) and Chhattisgarh are the major buckwheat growing areas in India. The seed is also used in a number of culinary preparations as well as alcoholic drinks. Buckwheat flour is known as Kuttu ka Attain northern part of India and mainly eaten during religious Upvas (fast) when cereals and pulses are not permitted to eat. The protein content (11-14%) in buckwheat seed is of high quality due to its balanced amino acid composition and rich in lysine (5.5-6%) and arginine (9.2–10%) which are generally deficit in cereals. Similarly, its grains has high content of minerals especially Ca (110 mg/100 g), Mg (390 mg/100 g), P (330 mg/00 g), K (450 mg/100 g), Fe (4 mg/ 100 g), Mn (3.37 mg/100 g), Cu (0.95 mg/100 g)and Zn (0.87 mg/100 g)and biologically active compounds like rutin, fagopyrin etc. It is a good dietary food crop as it has high nutritional value owing to bioactive compounds like vitamins, macro and micro elements and enzymes. Further, buckwheat flour is free from gluten and can be safely consumed by people with coeliac disease. Therefore, it may be an important alternative industrial food crop in agriculture.
Several pathogenic disorders have also been reported in buckwheat. These include: aster yellows caused by Mycoplasma; stern rot due to Botrytis cinerea; root rots due to Fusarium spp., Botrytis spp.; and Rhizoclonia spp.; chlorotic leaf spot due to Alternaria allernals; stipple spot disease caused by Bipolaris sorokiniana; blight due to Phyloplhora parasilka and downy mildew caused by Peronospora spp. Attacks of several viruses also cause reduction in plant height and losses ingrain yield. (Madhukar and Reddy 1988).
An investigation was carried out for occurrence of disease on buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) in the research field of SHUATS, Prayagraj Uttar Pradesh in India. Black spot symptoms were noted on leaves with an approximate incidence of 50%. The disease symptoms are chlorotic leaf spots, uniformly distributed, having concentric margins. Hence the isolation of the pathogen was done in the present study by even following Koch’spostulates.
Conclusion
It is, thus, desirable that buckwheat should be an integral crop of agricultural production systems of mountain agriculture in order to maintain nutritional standards of small and marginal farmers. Resources requirement for buckwheat cultivation is very less as compared to others cereals, hence it is a good candidate crop for rainfed ecosystems, organic farming, zero budget farming and for jhum areas in north-east India. Therefore, this crop could become an important component of the agriculture system of hill region for achieving nutrients self-sufficiency.
