Response of pea (Pisum sativum L.) cultivars and lines to seed infection by Ascochyta blight fungi

Seeds collected from 10 cultivars and lines of Pisum sativum of both ‘afila’ and normal foliage type, inoculated in field by Mycosphaerella pinodes and Phoma pinodella, were evaluated for incidence of fungi responsible for Ascochyta blight. Also seed germination and contamination by other fungi were considered. Surface sterilized seeds were plated on Coon agar medium. A sample contains 50 seeds. Data were taken after 8 days of incubation. Frequency of species occurrence depended not only on characters of cultivars and lines, weather conditions during 1998-2001, but on inoculation treatment. Clear response between cultivars and lines to tested factors was noted. Seeds of normal leaved line 344/87/3 and cv. Rubin were the most inhabited by all fungi, and germinated very poorly. Seeds of eight cultivars and lines, including cvs: Kwestor, Agra, Miko, were less infected and better germinated. Almost 40% of non-germinated seeds were inhabited by various fungi, but cultivars and lines differences were not clear. Seed infection by ascochyta blight fungi was rather low, reaching from 2.26 - 11.34 percent, a mean 4.81, but always the highest for M. pinodes. Percentage of contaminated seeds by other fungi, mainly saprobic, was always higher, even 5 times, with an average 16.73%. The best for seed germination was growing season of 2000, while for seed infestation, non-germinated and germinated, 2001.