Fungi Associated with Root Rot of Pinus wallichiana Seedlings in Kashmir

This study was conducted to find out the cause of root rot disease of blue pine (Pinus wallichiana) seedlings which is an important limiting factor in its successful production right from the nursery raising. The pathogens associated with the disease were isolated, morphologically characterised and identified as Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. pini (Schlecht.) Synd. and Hans., Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn and Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid. F. oxysporum was the most abundant pathogenic fungus in diseased roots of blue pine seedlings with isolation frequency of 38.6%, whereas R. solani and M. phaseolina showed isolation frequencies of 11.0 and 3.3%, respectively. All the three fungi proved pathogenic and caused characteristic root rot symptoms when inoculated separately. Root rot disease of Pinus wallichiana seedlings was prevalent in all the three districts of Kashmir valley surveyed, during 2008 and 2009.