Evaluation of different genotypes of mustard against Orobanche aegyptiaca

Abstract

Among the major weed groups that cause huge economic losses to important cropping systems, Orobanche species are
greatly devastating. Egyptian broomrape (Orobanche aegyptiaca) is a parasitic weed causing major yield loss in many
field and vegetable crops and is a serious threat to Indian mustard. In this study, several varieties of Indian mustard
screened in order to identify resistant genotypes. In the greenhouse conditions, genotypes were different in the degree
of susceptibility to Broomrape. Attachment number, emergence number, and dry matter of parasitic broomrapes was
affected by biomass of genotype. A significant impact of the parasitism onto the dry weight of all infected mustard
genotype with variable degree was observed. Broomrape attachment was observed in all the cultivated genotypes with
Pusa mustard 24 being the most susceptible with the greatest number of emerged Orobanche shoots. In contrast, no
emergence shoots were observed in four out of the fifteen genotype viz., Pusa Jaikisan, Pusa bold, Pusa Vijay and Pusa
mustard 26 which have less of attachment number and emergence number successively appear interesting for our
objective.