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EFFECT OF SOME SALTS ON IN VITRO GROWTH OF FUSARIUM SOLANI

HINA FIRDOUS AND SALEEM SHAHZAD

Abstract: Effect of different salts viz., sea salt, NaCl , CaCl₂, NaNO₃, MgSO₄, MgCl₂ and KCl was studied on in vitro growth of Fusarium solani by food poison method. Growth of F. solani was enhanced as compared to control in potato sucrose agar (PSA) medium containing sea salt @ 20,000 ppm but suppressed where sea salt was used @ 60,000 ppm or more. No conidia were produced in 100,000 ppm of sea salt. Similarly, F. solani showed enhanced growth in NaCl at 10,000 and 20,000 ppm and declined with increasing conc. from 30,000 to 100,000 ppm. Growth of F. solani also increased significantly with increasing conc. of MgSO₄ up to 40,000 ppm but declined thereafter. Use of NaNO₃ @ 10,000 to 70,000 ppm showed significant increase in growth with massive cottony white mycelium as compared to control. Growth of F. solani declined gradually compared to control with increasing conc. of MgCl₂ from 20,000 ppm to 100,000 ppm. Similarly, use of KCl @ 20,000 to 40,000 ppm showed gradual decline in growth of F. solani whereas @ 50,000 ppm or more, growth started after 7-days of inoculation. Amendment of PSA with CaCl₂ showed gradual decline in growth of F. solani with increasing conc. of CaCl₂. Chlamydospores were produced only where NaNO₃ was used @ 10,000 to 40,000 ppm.
 

Plant Disease Research Lab., Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270, Pakistan.