SOURCE OF INOCULUM FOR SOME SELECTED FUNGAL DISEASES OF PISUM SATIVUM LINN. IN ZARIA, KADUNA STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

Field pea (Pisum sativum) is an important crop for food, feed, and rotation systems. This study investigated sources of inoculum for eight fungal diseases—rust, powdery mildew, wilt, pod rot, root rot, leaf spot, leaf blight, and gray mold—in irrigated fields of Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. Seeds, soil, and hay were collected postharvest from the villages of Katanga and Shika Dam. Fungal isolation was performed using washing and direct plating techniques on Potato Dextrose Agar, with identification based on macroscopic and microscopic features. Results revealed that rust and pod rot inocula originated from seeds, soil, and debris, whereas powdery mildew, leaf spot, and gray mold persisted only on plant debris. Rust (Uromyces spp.) showed the highest occurrence (80%), followed by wilt (Fusarium spp., 70%), leaf blight and root rot (Rhizoctonia sp., 50%), powdery mildew (Erysiphe spp., 40%), and leaf spot (Alternaria sp., 30%). Pod rot (Thielavia), gray mold (Botrytis), and Pseudallescheria spp. (wilt) were least frequent (10%). These findings demonstrate that soil, seeds, and debris serve as major reservoirs of inoculum for P. sativum fungal diseases. Effective field sanitation and seed treatment are recommended to minimize pathogen transmission and safeguard subsequent plantings.