Conidial variability in rice blast caused by Pyricularia grisea (Cooke.) Sacc. in Konkan region of Maharashtra

Abstract

Conidiophores of all the isolates were simple, hyaline with single conidium borne at the tip except that of isolate BLS-9 which had three conidia born at tip and one at the middle of the conidiophore. The conidia were two celled in isolates BLS-7 and BLS-10 and all the conidia of remaining isolates were three celled and pyriform in shape with broad/narrow base and pointed/blunt apex. The average size (LXB) of conidia irrespective of isolates ranged between 22.20 – 8.35 X 7.28 – 2.65 μm. Among all the isolates BLS-11 formed larger conidia with average dimensions of 22.20 X 7.00 μm followed by BLS-9 (21.40 X 6.56 μm). Comparatively, small sized conidia were produced in isolate BLS-1 (08.35 X 2.65 μm).