Abstract

*Rabindranath G. Tendulkar and Narendra Kalam Tagore

Chilli (Capsicum annum) crop suffers very severely due to the infection of Anthracnose (Colletotrichum capsici) and powdery mildew (Leveillula taurica) leading to malformation of plant parts with heavy yield losses. Hence, it was aimed to find out the anatomical changes occur due to the infection by these pathogens. The observations on the microtomy sections of leaves and fruits infected by C. capsici revealed thickening of cell wall with dense and granular cytoplasm. The epidermal cells and cortical parenchyma were collapsed and larger cavities were also seen. Large numbers of small vacuoles were also observed in the cytoplasam. Infected cells become black and both inter cellular fungal cells were present in the infected cells. The xylem vessels were also thickened and both proto and metaxylem were plugged with mycelial network. The microtomy sections of plant samples infected with L. taurica showed the collapse of epidermal cells, disruption of mesophyll and guard cells. The infected section of the plant showed more fungal invasion which was absent in the healthy.