Field screening of cumin germplasms against wilt incited by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cumini

Abstract

A field investigation was undertaken over two consecutive Rabi seasons (2022–23 and 2023–24) to evaluate fifty cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) germplasm lines, including varieties and advanced breeding entries, for their response to Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cumini. The trials were conducted under natural wilt epiphytotic conditions at the Seed Spices Research Station, SDAU, Jagudan (Gujarat), in a randomized block design with two replications. Disease incidence was assessed at 30, 45 and 60 days after sowing from three randomly selected 1 m row sections per plot. Based on pooled data from both years, 47 out of 50 entries were found to be highly susceptible, exhibiting more than 30 per cent wilt incidence. However, three entries CUM 49, JC 20-07 and GP 7 consistently recorded lower disease incidence (ranging between 26.70% and 31.10%), classifying them as susceptible but relatively more tolerant compared to the rest. In contrast, entries such as Hairy Cumin, White Flower Cumin, JC 18-09, JC 18-10 and JC 18-11 showed complete susceptibility with cent per cent disease incidence across both years.