07-08-2013, 01:01 PM
Effect of environmental variables in the development of Phomopsis fruit rot of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.)
ABSTRACT
Effect of environmental variables such as rainfall, relative humidity and temperature in the development of fruit rot (Phomopsis vexans) of brinjal (Solanum melongena L.) during 2007 and 2008 was studied by performing correlation and regression analysis. Per cent fruit rot incidence and intensity recorded during 2007 and 2008 was correlated with the environment variables and were subjected to regression analysis. The correlation of pooled data for both the years and environment variables [rainfall, relative humidity (morning and evening) and temperature (maximum and minimum)] revealed that relative humidity (morning) had a positive and significant effect on fruit rot incidence and intensity, whereas, relative humidity (evening) and temperature (maximum and minimum) had negative but significant effect on the disease development. Multiple correlation coefficients during 2007 and 2008 indicated strong relationship between fruit rot incidence and intensity and environment variables, thereby establishing that rainfall, relative humidity (morning and evening) and temperature (maximum and minimum) had cumulative effect during the course of disease development and contributed more than 96.9 per cent variation in fruit rot incidence and 96.6 per cent in intensity (pooled).