Impact of Different Cultural Media on Growth and Sporulation of Magnaporthe grisea Causing Blast of Finger Millet

Abstract

Finger millet (Eleusine coracana), a vital cereal crop, suffers significant yield losses due to blast disease caused by Magnaporthe grisea. Understanding the sporulation dynamics of the pathogen is crucial for elucidating its biology, infection mechanisms, and epidemiology, as well as for developing effective disease management strategies. Further, choice of medium can significantly impact the cost and efficiency of mass multiplication of fungal cultures. This study investigated the influence of different cultural media on the vegetative growth and conidial production of M. grisea. Among the tested media, oat meal agar, corn meal agar, rice bran agar and rice straw extract agar supported the growth of the pathogen. Whereas, oat meal agar demonstrated superior efficacy in promoting both mycelial proliferation and sporulation. The findings emphasize the role of optimized media in facilitating reliable and abundant spore production, essential for advancing research in understanding the multi dynamics involved in disease occurrence, pathogen management and resistance breeding. These results contribute to the development of integrative approaches to mitigate the impact of blast disease on finger millet production and ensure agricultural sustainability.