Detection of Seedborne Fungi Associated with the Seeds of Queen's Grape Myrtle (lagerstroemia flos-reginae Retz.)

A total of thirteen fungi namely Alternaria tenuissima, Aspergillus flavus, A. fumigatus, A. niger, Curvularia clal'ata, C. lunata, Fusarium moniliforme var. subglutinans, F. pallidoroseum, Penicillium aurintiogriseum, P. chrysogenum, P. purpurogenum, Phomopsis sp. And Schizophyllum commune were found associated with the seeds of Queen's grape myrtle. These fungi have been recovered from the surface sterilized seeds by agar plate and blotter method. All fungi constitute new records for this host in India. Simultaneously, except Aspergillus flavus all other constitute new records for the world as well. Agar plate method yielded more fungal species than the blotter method.