Effect of Temperature on the Morphological and Cultural growth of Sclerotinia Sclerotiorum Causing Sclerotinia Rot Of Potato

Abstract

Sclerolinia scleroliorum is a fungal pathogen that causes significant damage to crops worldwide. The growth ofSclerotinia is influenced by various environmental factors, including temperature. In this study, the effect of temperature on the growth of Sclerotinia was investigated. The experiment was conducted by culturing Sclerotinia on potato dextrose agar plates at different temperatures ( 18°C, 22°C, 26°C, 0 30°C,) for seven days. The growth rate of the fungus was then measured by determining the colony diameter and biomass and sclerotial variability. The results showed that the growth rate of Sclerotinia increased with increasing temperature up to 26°C. At 30°C the growth rate of the fungus decreased. The optimum temperature for Sclerotinia growth was found to be 26°C, where the colony diameter and biomass were the highest. At I8°C, the growth rate was significantly slower than at other temperatures, indicating that the fungus is not able to grow well at this temperature. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that temperature is an important factor affecting the growth ofSclerotinia. The optimal temperature for growth was found to be 26°C, while growth 'rvas significantly reduced at higher temperatures. These findings provide useful information for the epidemiological study of this fungus. It could also used in future for development of effective strategies for the management of Sclerotinia infections in crops.