CONTENTS

CHAPTER PARTICULARS

Chapter- 1 Introduction

Chapter- 2 Review of Literature

2.1 Study of seed health testing methods.

2.2 Effect of storage periods, humidities and

temperatures upon the prevalence of seed mycoflora

and viability.

2.3. Effect of fungi on commercial quality of the seeds

under different conditions of storage.

Chapter- 3 Material and Methods

3.1 Collection of seed samples.

3.2 Screening of seed samples for the presence of

mycoflora.

3.2.1 Inspection of dry seeds.

3.2.2 Seed washing test

3.2.3 Viability of fungal spores (fructifications)

3.2.4 Isolation of mycoflora.

3.2.4.1 2, 4-D blotter method.

3.2.4.2 Standard blotter method.

3.2.4.3 Standard blotter method with

pretreatseeds.

3.2.4.4 Freezing blotter method

3.2.4.5 Agar plate method.

3.2.4.6 Ulster method.

3.2.5 Isolation of internal seed mycoflora.

3.3 Storage studies

3.3.1 Effect of containers on seed mycoflora.

3.3.2 Effect of different lengths of storage on seed

mycoflora.

3.3.3 Effect of different storage temperature on

seed mycoflora.

3.3.4 Effect of different relative humidities on seed

mycofora.

3.3.5 Maintenance of pure culture.

3.4 Sporulation studies.

3.5 Morphological and cultural studies of the fungi and

their identification.

3.6 Cleaning and sterilization of glasswares.

3.7 Inoculation and incubation period.

3.8 Selection of basal medium.

3.9 Measurement of fungal growth.

Chapter- 4 Experimental Findings.

4.1 Isolation of fungi associated with apparently healthy seeds.

4.2 Inspection of dry seeds.

4.3 Seed washing test.

4.4 2,4-D blotter method.

4.5 Freezing standard blotter method.

4.6 Standard blotter method.

4.7 Standard blotter method with pretreated seeds.

4.8 Agar plate method.

4.9 Ulster method.

4.10 Selection of basal medium.

4.11 Isolation of fungi from internal tissues of seeds.

4.12 Storage studies.

4.12.1 Effect of different containers on seed mycoflora.

4.12.2 Effect of temperature on seed mycoflora.

4.12.3 Effect of different relative humidity on seed

mycoflora.

4.13 Cultural and morphological characters of the fungi

Chapter- 5 Discussion

Chapter- 6 Summary

Bibliography

Appendix