SCREENING OF GENOTYPES AGAINST SESAME PHYLLODY DISEASEYASHOWARDHAN SINGH, K.N. GUPTA AND RAJANI BISENAbstract Phyllody of sesame is an important disease caused by a pleomorphic phytoplasma and is transmitted by a leaf hopper called Orosius albinctus. The affected plants become stunted and floral parts are modified in to leafy structures bearing no fruits and seeds causing yield. In this view, a field experiment was conducted at PC unit Sesame and Niger farm field. Twenty genotypes were evaluated for various plant traits and screening against sesame phyllody disease in protected (Polyhouse) and unprotected (field) condition. Among the twenty genotypes, all genotype were found to be moderately resistant against phyllody under natural field condition. However no symptoms were observed in all 20 genotypes under protective (Polyhouse) condition. The yield contributing characters of sesame plants, i.e. plant height; number of capsules per plant, test weight was adversely affected due to phyllody. There was reduction in number of capsules, plant height, and yield and test weight in infected plant in comparison to healthy plants due to the phyllody disease. |