Mycoflora Associated With Momordica Charantia L. And Their Pathogenic Potentiality

Abstract

Momordica charantia L. (Bitter gourd) is one of the popular vegetable in Bangladesh as well as in the world. After harvesting the vegetables are contaminated with fungi within 3-4 days of short storage. An investigation was carried out to find out the fungi associated with fruits of two varieties of Momordica charantia during the tenure of May 2015 to June 2016. Nine species of fungi namely, Aspergillus flavus Link, A. fumigatus Fresenius, A. niger van Tiegh, Curvularia brchyspora Boedijn, Fusarium Link, Mucor Fresen, Penicillium Link, Rhizopus stolonifer (Ehrenb.:Fr.) Vuill and Trichoderma viride Pers. were found to be associated with the selected vegetable. .Aspergillus niger was predominating fungus associated with both the varieties of bitter gourd. Among the isolated 9 fungi A. niger, C. brchyspora, Fusarium sp., R. stolonifer and T. viride were found to be pathogenic to both the varieties of M. charantia.

Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 42(2): 145-152, December 2016