Evaluation of some inbred lines against southern corn leaf blight of maize under natural condition during kharif season of West Bengal

Abstract

Maize is a cross pollinated crop, having thermo & photo insensitive property, third most important cereal crop of India and called the “Queen of Cereals” because of its highest yield potential. Southern Corn Leaf Blight (SCLB) is one of the important biotic stresses of maize crop and it is caused by an Ascomycetous fungi – Cochliobolus heterostropus / Bipolaris maydis which is a necrotrophic pathogen and also very much difficult to manage. Management of plant diseases can be done by using resistant cultivars, practicing cultural methods, by using synthetic chemicals or biological & natural products. Among them use of resistant cultivar is very much effective and less hazardous. For developing resistant cultivars, study of inbred lines is of utmost importance. In West Bengal southern Corn Leaf Blight is very much important specially during kharif season. Present study was done during kharif season of 2018 and 2019 with ten inbred lines to identify resistant / tolerant lines against Southern Corn Leaf Blight under natural condition. Among these ten inbreds (CM 400, CM 500, CM 501, CM 600, BML 6, BML 7, SURYA, Early Composite, LM 14 and IIMRSBTPOOL) only LM 14 showed resistant reaction and CM 501 & IIMRSBTPOOL showed Moderately Resistant reaction.