Optimizing Inoculation Techniques for Enhanced Rust Disease Pressure in Fig Trees: Insights on Cerotelium fici Multiplication and Maintenance

Fig rust is one of the most prevalent diseases caused by Cerotelium fici is an obligate parasite and it has to be maintained only on its own host. The present study was taken into consideration to check the comparative effectiveness of various inoculation methods for inducing disease symptoms, maintaining and multiplying inoculums, and examining the slow rusting mechanism. For this, a polyhouse experiment using the Poona fig cultivar was conducted at the National Agricultural Research Project, Ganeshkhind, Pune. Ninety-days-old three fig layers, each with four to five healthy leaves, were inoculated in the evening using six different inoculation methods. The suspension of urediospores used for inoculation was made with 5 X 108 spores ml-1 in sterile water. The result of the study revealed that, leaf dip, micro droplet and hand inoculation methods were found most effective for mass multiplication and maintenance of C. fici.